DUBAI // A man who grew almost 40 marijuana plants at his villa lost his appeal against his 10-year sentence.
On September 6 last year, the Emirati was convicted by Dubai Criminal Court of growing and possessing 38 plants and 749 grams of the drug, plus amphetamines. An earlier charge of possessing the plants with intention to sell was dropped.
Marijuana was also found in cigarettes in his car and a search of his house uncovered more drugs, including 1,977 amphetamine tablets.
The man, 46, filled three rooms in his home with the plants and equipment, and had installed a ventilation system to carry the smell outside.
He admitted all of the charges and told judges the marijuana was for personal use.
The man, who holds two master’s degrees from universities in the US, was arrested on March 11 last year while returning home from Al Ain.
An Emirati lieutenant with the Dubai Police anti-narcotics unit said marijuana was found in the man’s car and that, during questioning, he had admitted to growing marijuana at his villa in Al Ruwais in Abu Dhabi.
He said he lived at his mother’s house in Sharjah.
“When we asked him how he learnt how to grow marijuana, he said he learnt through the internet and ordered most of the equipment needed from abroad,” the officer said.
Prosecutors said the plants seized weighed about 380 kilograms, which his lawyer disputed.
“This is not the weight of the marijuana, this includes soil, branches, leaves,” Saeed Al Ghilani said.
“My client studied in the US, where he started using marijuana, and when he returned he held a good position but felt sorry for himself for having to go to addiction dens in order to get marijuana.
“I’m not trying to legalise drug consumption, but I’m trying to explain my client’s circumstances.”
The convicted man was also fined Dh50,000.
salamir@thenational.ae
