Sailor arrested with 50kg of hashish, Dubai court hears

DUBAI// A 25-year-old sailor was caught pushing a trolley loaded with more than 50 kilograms of hashish, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

Iranian Q A denied charges of smuggling drugs to sell when he appeared in court.

“I am a sailor and my captain ordered me to deliver what he said was a water pump to a car that was parked nearby the boat,” said Q A.

He also denied consuming drugs and told the court that he fell sick while out at sea and that one of his crew mates gave him a pill they said was medicine to make him feel better.

Prosecutors said anti-narcotics police were tipped off about the drugs and that Q A had asked for Dh10,000 in return for delivering them to Dubai.

On September 21 last year when the boat arrived at Dubai Creek, police arrested Q A as he pushed the trolley loaded with a large bag filled with the hashish.

“He denied on the spot and said he was carrying a water pump,” said A A, 42-year-old Emirati police lieutenant. Officers found a total of 51.350kgs of hashish.

The next hearing will be later this month to appoint a defence lawyer for Q A.