DUBAI // A police officer was on Monday sentenced to 10 years in jail for possessing poppy seeds that he intended to use to frame his business partner.
Emirati policeman MM, 28, who worked at Dubai General Department of Punitive & Correctional Establishments, Pakistanis MH, 31, and 50-year-old AA were all charged with possessing 9.29 grammes of poppy seeds, which are banned in the UAE.
AA alone was charged with possessing 140.64 grammes of poppy seeds that can be planted.
AA confessed to the charges but the other two denied them.
Dubai Criminal Court sentenced the policeman to 10 years, AA to four years and deportation, while MH was found not guilty.
Prosecutors said that Dubai Police’s anti-narcotics department received a tip-off about the officer, after which they obtained an arrest warrant.
On February 28 last year at 9.20pm, the officer finished work and got into his car, which had a driver.
“The driver headed towards the car park where MM met with a police source who posed as a buyer. MM was then arrested as he got out of his seat holding a napkin in which the poppy seeds were found,” testified policeman KS.
He said that the officer and his driver, who was the defendant found not guilty, were both arrested. During interrogations, the officer said he got the seeds from AA, who was then arrested in cooperation with Sharjah Police.
KS added in his testimony that, when questioned, AA said the he was asked by MM to provide him with some poppy seeds because he wanted to frame someone.
AK, a corporal at the anti-narcotics department, testified that MM confessed to him that he wanted to frame his business partner to take hold of the entire company.
MM was also fined Dh50,000.
salamir@thenational.ae