Man who said he was buying shrimp, not hashish, loses appeal against jail term

Emirati also claimed that he did not know he was taking drugs – he said he was just tasting the contents of the freezer box to find out what was actually in it.

DUBAI // A man who claimed that he believed the freezer box he bought contained shrimp when it, in fact, held 16 kilograms of hashish will have to see out his 10-year jail sentence.

The 49-year-old Emirati appealed against the sentence issued by Dubai Criminal Court in June but his bid failed.

He also claimed that he did not know he was taking drugs – he said he was just tasting the contents of the freezer box to find out what was in it.

In both the criminal and appeals court, he denied intentionally buying drugs and using them.

“I bought shrimps but when I got home I discovered I got the wrong freezer,” said the man.

“I didn’t take drugs, I just tasted the contents of the freezer to find out its true nature. I thought it was dried fruits and wanted to make sure so I took a small amount on a plate and tasted it.”

The drugs were found in his possession in several plastic bags on October 27 last year.

An Emirati anti-narcotics police captain said they had been tipped off about the defendant for possessing a large amount of drugs to sell.

“We had him under surveillance after he left his home in Mazhar area and saw him park near the fence of Mushrif Park. He then looked around, checking his surroundings, before placing a bag near the fence. Then he left,” said the captain.

Police followed the man until he stopped at traffic lights, where a patrol car stopped behind him and a surveillance car in front.

“I gave orders to the patrol to close in on his vehicle, after which we apprehended him,” said the captain, who had officers waiting near the bag he dropped to find out who would pick it up.

“I asked him what he was doing near Mushrif Park and he said, ‘you would know the answer to your own question since you were following me’.”

Police said the freezer box had been shipped from Iran through Jebel Ali Port.

“He told me he did not know it contained hashish,” the captain added.

The defendant was also fined Dh50,000.