Man caught with heroin in his stomach at Dubai airport

The salesman was searched after which a body X-Ray showed capsules in his stomach.

DUBAI // A 25-year-old who was caught with more than half a kilo of heroin in his stomach claimed he did not know he was carrying drugs.

“I didn’t know it was banned substances, I was asked to carry it to Dubai but I didn’t know,” said J S, a Pakistani salesman, when he appeared at the Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday morning.

On September 9 this year, J S arrived at Dubai International Airport. His general fatigue and pale appearance aroused the suspicions of custom inspectors.

J S was searched after which a body X-Ray showed capsules in his stomach. He was arrested and referred to Dubai police’s anti-narcotics unit who sent him with guards to Rashid hospital where 74 capsules containing 560 grammes of heroin were taken out of his stomach.

“I was assigned to watch him and saw the capsules,” testified policeman S A, 32.

Prosecutors said that the defendant confessed to carrying the drugs to deliver to a man he did not know who resides in Dubai. In return he was paid 50,000 Pakistani Rupees.

He was charged with possessing the drugs for the purpose of peddling, which he denied.

The next hearing will be on January 4 to assign a defence lawyer for the defendant.