Illegal alcohol dealer jailed after high-speed chase in Dubai

Officers said suspect continued to resist arrest even after being shot with a Taser gun

Police officers said they used a taser device against the suspect but that he continued to fight them. Wam

An illegal alcohol dealer has been jailed following a high-speed chase in Dubai.

The Nigerian man tried to flee police, caused damage to a patrol vehicle and continued to resist arrest even after an officer shot him with a dart from a Taser gun.

Details of the incident in January 2022 were revealed in Dubai Criminal Court as the convicted man was imprisoned for one year.

In their testimony, officers said the bootlegger was pulled over in the Al Quoz industrial area for a vehicle registration check.

The suspect initially pulled his brown Toyota Camry over at the side of the road — only to hit the accelerator and speed away when the officers got out of their vehicle.

Police officers then pursued him for several minutes at speed.

“We were chasing him when he went between two lorries and after overtaking the lorries he hit the side of the patrol car,” an officer testified.

“He was driving at high speed and lost control. He collided with a road barrier but opened the door and we ran after him.

“We used the Taser gun to stop him and I put on the handcuffs.

“He managed to the cuffs but we managed to control him on the ground. I used another plastic handcuff until backup arrived.”

One officer sustained bruises and scratches.

Police found 847 cans of beer and 234 bottles of liquor in the vehicle.

The man said he had arrived in the UAE in 2020 on a visit visa and stayed on illegally. Most tourist visas allow a non-resident to stay for 30 to 90 days.

Dubai Public Prosecution charged the man with assaulting and resisting officers, endangering the lives of officers, damaging a police car and possessing alcohol for the purposes of trading.

The damage to the police car was estimated at Dh4,900.

A judge sentenced the man to one year in jail, a fine of Dh4,900 and deportation upon his release.

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