Drug accused was ‘helping friend to quit’, Dubai court told

Man found with hashish and tramadol tells court he had confiscated them from an addict friend to help him quit.

DUBAI // A man caught with drugs had confiscated them from an addict friend and did not intend to sell them, a court heard yesterday.

Emirati M S, 37, was charged with possession and intent to sell after tramadol and hashish were found by police.

But he told the Criminal Court he had never used drugs and only had them because he was trying to help his friend N H, 34, also Emirati, who backed up his story.

“Yes I take drugs and on the day me and my friend were arrested, my friend found the drugs in my car and was about to throw them away in order to help me quit,” the friend said.

“The drugs were mine, they were in the car and my friend got into the car before me. When I climbed in I found him trying to throw the drugs away. We were both arrested, but he has nothing to do with this.”

Police captain A R said both men were known to the anti-narcotics department.

“We received a tip that they had some drugs to sell and we acted upon the tip,” he said.

He said officers found hashish and tramadol when they arrested the pair in N H’s car, which was parked in front of his house in Jumeirah on April 25 this year.

“We found some drugs in NH’s pocket when we searched him,” said the policeman.

A search of the man’s house uncovered 4,700 tramadol tablets.

The next hearing was scheduled for October 6.