Student 'gave heroin to his jailed brother'

An Emirati student accused of trying to smuggle heroin to his brother in a police jail cell denies a charge of being in possession of drugs with intent to consume.

DUBAI // An Emirati student accused of trying to smuggle heroin to his brother in a police jail cell denied a charge of being in possession of drugs with intent to consume at the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday. HA, 22, who is charged with possessing 0.26 grams of heroin, was arrested last June when he went to the Rashidiyah police station with his family to visit his older brother.

HA told police that he, another brother and his mother wanted to give some personal possessions to his imprisoned brother. Prosecutors say a wallet containing three pain relievers and a folded piece of paper containing heroin were found during a search of those items. HA handed his brother some cash and a wallet, according to evidence from a police sergeant. "I spotted the exchange when the detainee told the defendant to remove a picture inside the wallet and return it to him," he said. "I searched the wallet and found the drugs inside it."

HA was remanded in custody with his mother and brother. Prosecutors initially charged the whole family, including the detained man, with possession of drugs but then dropped all charges except those against HA, raising them to possession with intent to consume. Judge Fahmy Mounir Fahmy adjourned the case to June 6 to allow the defence to prepare its case. @Email:[e-mail]