Man accused of peddling drugs via WhatsApp in UAE

He was arrested on December 26, 2017, in Al Muraqqabat area.- Alamy Image

A man stood trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance, charged with promoting drugs on WhatsApp.
The 41-year-old Pakistani, who worked as a driver, allegedly peddled drugs by sending messages on WhatsApp. Prosecutors accuse him of broadcasting information with the aim to peddle drugs and also of using narcotics. He was arrested on December 26, 2017, in Al Muraqqabat area.
"We had a reliable source tipping us off that the accused was taking and possessing drugs for peddling at his place in Al Waheeda," a lieutenant with the Dubai Police anti-narcotics division said.
"We raided his place and he was found in his room in the upper floor. An amount of Dh16,950 was found in his pocket, which we suspected he made from selling drugs."
The accused claimed to the police that the money was from selling his car while he was detained at the central jail about three weeks earlier.
"However, our criminal database showed that he got released from jail on May 27, 2017. He became tense when confronted with that and acted elusively," the lieutenant told the prosecutor. "Our information was that he used social media, including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, to peddle drugs. His mobile phone was seized and he was taken to the general directorate of anti-narcotics. He was later referred to the general directorate of criminal evidence for drug tests."
Several conversations and voice notes, in which uncommon words were used, most probably to order purchase of drugs in addition to pictures of white powder, were found stored in the defendant's mobile phone.
According to the crime lab report, the driver's urine sample tested positive for traces of morphine and codeine.
A court ruling will be issued on April 26.
mary@khaleejtimes.com