Drugs man ‘must see out life prison term’

DUBAI // A man given a life sentence for driving while under the influence of drugs and possessing amphetamines with the intention to sell, must see out the jail term, the Dubai Court of Appeal has ruled.

At the Dubai Criminal Court in November last year, Filipino J J, 29, confessed to possessing and used the drugs but denied dealing. He was also fined Dh50,000.

Prosecutors said police found nearly half a kilogram of amphetamines in J J’s possession when he was arrested at the Ibn Battuta Mall car park.

Records showed that some of the drugs were found under the driver’s seat of his car and more were found at his home in Abu Dhabi.

During investigations J J said his uncle introduced him to drugs as a means of making money.

The uncle, he said, gave him the phone number of a Pakistani man who later gave him 200 grams of drugs and told him to sell one gram for Dh2,000.

He said he made his first sale to a woman in Abu Dhabi, who bought 5 grams for Dh10,000, then he sold more for a total of Dh40,000.

Prosecutors said the Filipino confessed to selling drugs to a compatriot for more than Dh50,000.

Police were tipped off about his activities and, on June 3, 2013, J J was arrested after selling drugs to an undercover policeman at the mall car park.

He will be deported after his jail term is completed.