DUBAI // Two men were found with more than 2 million methamphetamine tablets that were smuggled into the country in wooden chandeliers, a court has been told.
Prosecutors said Syrians A A, 44, and M J, 32, hid 2,041,583 pills in an Umm Al Quwain warehouse in January, with the intention of selling them.
A policeman said officers were tipped off that A A had received a shipment of drugs, and arrested him and his partner near Dubai Festival City.
“We stopped the car and told them we are anti-narcotics agents and we have a search warrant,” the officer said.
The younger suspect, who was driving, tried to escape and crashed into a police car before both men were apprehended.
“We found keys and Dh13,800 on A A when we searched him,” the policeman said. “He told us that the keys were for a warehouse in the industrial area in UAQ, where they stored wooden chandeliers.”
Another officer said: “M J rented the warehouse under his name and A A rented a lorry to transfer the drugs from Dubai airport to the warehouse.”
The court heard A A agreed to receive the drugs shipment from Turkey for Dh250,000.
On Tuesday at Dubai Criminal Court, the pair pleaded not guilty to possession with the intent to sell. The next hearing was set for May 19.
tzriqat@thenational.ae