Drug mule admits to having more than 1kg of cocaine in stomach

South African says he was paid just over Dh4,000 to take drugs from Brazil to his homeland via Dubai.

DUBAI // A South African passenger admitted on Tuesday to carrying more than one kilogram of cocaine in his stomach when he arrived at Dubai airport.

Prosecutors told Dubai Criminal Court that the 29-year-old arrived at Dubai International Airport on June 12 and his luggage passed inspection.

“He was questioned by my colleague in Terminal 3 [about] if he is carrying anything illegal. He said no but we suspected him therefore my colleague referred him to a body X-ray,” testified an Emirati customs inspector.

When suspicious objects in his stomach were revealed by the X-ray, the man told inspectors that he was paid to carry cocaine capsules to South Africa.

He was referred to Rashid Hospital where he remained for a few days as 93 capsules containing 1.3kg of the drug were collected.

He confessed he carried them from Brazil in return for 15,000 South African rand (Dh4,070).

He is charged with smuggling drugs, which he admitted to and awaits a verdict for on October 17.