Tourist accused of smuggling 24kg of heroin into the UAE

Customs officers at Dubai airport found five plastic bags containing the drug wrapped in black duct tape at the bottom of his luggage.

DUBAI // A 30-year-old man is accused of smuggling 24 kilograms of heroin into the country, Dubai Criminal Court heard on Tuesday.

Pakistani tourist M Q was arrested on June 19 carrying the banned substance in five plastic bags wrapped in black duct tape at Dubai airport’s Terminal 3.

He was charged with smuggling heroin with the intent to distribute but denied the charge, saying he had no idea what was in the sealed plastic bags.

Emirati customs inspector H A testified that he was on night shift when he noticed an unusual thickness in the bottom of M Q’s five bags as he arrived at Terminal 3.

“There were many praying mats inside the bags, as well as Quran copies, food and other items,” said H A. “When the bags were opened and the bottom checked, plastic bags containing suspicious powder were found.”

The inspector said he was on one X-ray scanner while his colleague was on the other and the defendant put bags on each.

“We both suspected the bags we scanned — they had double bottoms,” said H A.

Records show that the defendant was being watched from when he got off the plane by an inspector, who reported the Pakistani to colleagues who then directed the suspect to the X-ray scanners on his way out.

The next hearing is on October 28.