Tourist caught taking hashish in hotel room in Dubai

The 32-year-old tourist said he only took hashish because people in his country did it.

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DUBAI// A tourist caught in his hotel taking hashish told the Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday morning he only did so as “people in his country consumed the drug”.

S M, 32, from India was arrested on September 15 this year after a tip off to Dubai Police’s Anti-narcotics department.

He confessed to a charge of consuming hashish in court.

“It’s OK in India, everyone takes hashish,” said S M when he was asked by judges if he was guilty or innocent of the charge against him.

Emirati policeman H A, 21, testified that S M was arrested at around 1am on September 15 at a hotel in Al Murraqabat after police received information from a source that he had been consuming hashish.

When arrested, no drugs was found on him but a urine test came positive with traces of hashish.

The next hearing will be on December 30.

salamir@thenational.ae