UAE: Sailor Smuggling opium Into UAE

A sailor has gone on trial accused of trying to smuggle 51kg of opium into the country.

The Iranian national, aged 25, allegedly sailed into Dubai Creek on a dhow boat in possession of the huge drug stash in September, 2015.

Dubai Court of First Instance heard that the man intended to sell the drugs locally. Prosecutors said that on September 21, Dubai Police received a tip off about the opium and that the accused was being paid Dhs10,000 to bring it into the city.

The force sent an undercover officer to monitor the sailor and he was arrested as he pushed a trolley carrying a bag containing the opium down the jetty.

The sailor denied drug smuggling with the intention to sell, claiming that his captain ordered him to deliver the bag to a car parked nearby. He was also charged with consuming drugs himself.

He told Judge Mohammed Jamal that he became sick at sea and that one of his crewmates gave him a pill that he said would help, which he suggested must have been opium.

An Emirati police officer, aged 42, who worked on the case, said: “He was arrested and when we asked him about the bag he claimed that he was carrying a water pump. He claimed that his captain asked him to carry the bag out to the car.”

The sailor was then taken to the Police headquarters and police discovered that he had also consumed drugs.

The officer said: “He claimed that he was sick and his mate gave him a pill to relax. He claimed that he didn’t know it was an illegal painkiller.”

The trial has been adjourned until next month.