DUBAI // A policeman was arrested for possessing opium poppy seeds he planned to use to frame his business partner, Dubai Criminal Court heard.
Emirati M M, 28, who worked at Dubai General Department of Punitive & Correctional Establishments, Pakistanis M H, 31, and A A, 50, are all charged with possessing 9.29 grammes of opium poppy seeds, which are illegal.
A A alone was charged with possessing 140.64g of the seeds. He confessed but the other two denied charges against them.
Prosecutors said Dubai Police’s anti-narcotics department received a tip-off about M M and kept him under surveillance until an arrest warrant was obtained.
On February 28 at 9.20pm an arrest team waited for M M to finish work and get into his car.
“The car drove towards the car park where M M met with a police source who posed as a buyer. M M was then arrested as he got out of his seat holding a napkin in which the seeds were found,” said policeman K S.
The officer said M M and his driver, who is co-accused M H, were both arrested. During interrogations, M M said he got the seeds from A A, who was then arrested in cooperation with Sharjah Police.
K S added that, when questioned, A A said he was asked by M M to provide him with some opium poppy seeds because he wanted to frame someone.
A K, a corporal at the anti-narcotics department, testified that M M confessed to him that he wanted to frame his business partner to take charge of the entire company.
The next hearing will be on October 15.
salamir@thenational.ae
