Brasília: A transit passenger who was caught smuggling 6.4kg of cocaine in his luggage while heading to Vietnam, has been jailed for 10 years.
The 38-year-old Filipino, R.S., was transiting through Dubai International Airport in October when officials busted him. He was found to be carrying seven pouches of cocaine hidden in his luggage.
The Dubai Court of First Instance also fined him Dh50,000 after he pleaded guilty and admitted that he was carrying the cocaine from Brazil to Vietnam.
According to the primary ruling, the accused will be deported following the completion of his punishment.
When the Filipino showed up in court, he contended: “Yes, I smuggled the drugs. I was flying to Vietnam via Dubai in transit.”
The accused asked the court for leniency.
A police corporal, stationed at the airport, said he became suspicious of R.S. on seeing him at the transit terminal at Dubai airport.
“R.S. arrived from Brazil at 11.20pm. I accompanied him to the search room. I did not find any drugs in his possession upon searching him in person. However, when I checked his bag, it seemed strangely bloated on one side. I made a hole in one of the sides to check what was hidden inside. I found cocaine pouches inside. When I confronted him with the findings, R.S. immediately claimed that someone handed him the drugs in Brazil and asked him to smuggle them to Vietnam for around Dh11,000. We took him into custody and referred him to Dubai Police’s anti-narcotics department for further interrogations,” the corporal said.
Dubai prosecutors are expected to appeal the primary ruling against R.S. seeking the toughest punishment.
The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within six days.
