Men caught with 155kg of drugs in Dubai have jail terms upheld

Prosecutors tried to get the Turks' sentences increased for having an intent to sell the drugs but the court threw out their appeal.

DUBAI // Three men will spend three years in jail each for possessing more than 155 kilograms of drugs after prosecutors’ attempt to get increased sentences was rejected.

Dubai Court of Appeal upheld the sentences of the three Turks, aged between 30 and 41.

The trio denied a charge of possessing 155kg of amphetamines with the intention to sell them in both criminal and appeal courts and were only found guilty of the lesser charge of possession.

An Emirati anti-narcotics captain, 38, told prosecutors he was among the arrest team after his department received a tip-off.

“We raided a flat in Naif, where the men were caught red-handed as they arranged the tablets into boxes. We also found cash in the apartment,” said the officer, adding that one of the men is an international drug dealer.

The captain said the Turks were wearing plastic gloves and placing thousands of pills in different boxes and bags.

Prosecutors said that one of them confessed during questioning to being promised $15,000 in return for keeping the drugs safe for a while.

Each was fined Dh50,000 and they will all be deported after serving their jail terms.