Dubai: Visitor caught at airport with 49 cocaine capsules in his stomach, jailed for 10 years

Dubai - He has also been fined Dh50,000.

Published: Tue 21 Sep 2021, 3:34 AM

By
Afkar Ali Ahmed

The Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced a 47-year-old visitor to 10 years in prison as well as fining him Dh50,000 for trying to smuggle 49 cocaine capsules in his stomach -- with the intent of selling them in the UAE.

Khaleej Times · 8@8 with David Light, Tuesday September 21: All your latest KT headlines

Listen to this story and more on the 8@8 with David Light podcast

The African man will be deported after serving his jail term.

According to investigation records, the case took place in May 2020, when a customs inspector at Dubai Airport suspected the convict as he inquired about the presence of any materials or items that he would like to disclose. The man had denied --- and on checking his bags, no prohibited materials were found.

It was when the officer proceeded to scan him through an X-ray machine at the airport, the man admitted to having 49 capsules of cocaine in his gut.

The capsules weighed about a kilogram.

According to prosecution investigation records, the convict admitted that a person in his homeland took advantage of his need for money, and offered him to smuggle 53 capsules of cocaine to Dubai via a transit flight.

He had dropped four capsules in the wash room at Dubai Airport.