Jobless man on trial in Dubai over hammer drug raid at pharmacy

DUBAI // An unemployed man used a hammer to break his way into a pharmacy to steal a number of controlled medications and cash from the till, Dubai Criminal Court has heard.

Prosecutors said that Emirati AA, 48, along with a teenager who was referred to the Juvenile Court, used the hammer and a screwdriver to unlock the door to Life pharmacy then rob the place on December 3 two years ago.

Egyptian pharmacist MF, 62, testified that he received a call about the robbery after which he visited the premises and found police cars there.

“I went inside and saw that a number of mind-altering medications that are controlled by the Ministry of Health had been stolen,” he said. “I estimated their cost at nearly Dh2,800.”

He added that the registrar, which contained Dh2,520, had also been stolen.

Police officer AT, 35, testified that the juvenile defendant, MH, confessed to him when he was arrested that he and AA robbed the pharmacy at nearly 5am that day and then split the cash.

MH confessed that they used a car rented by his mother during the robbery. Police found the hammer and screwdriver inside the car, as well as gloves and a broken knife.

The defendant was not present in court to enter a plea.

The next hearing is on October 30.