A man who accepted Dh140 to drive a shipment of boxes containing drugs faces life in jail or even the death sentence after being caught red handed by police.
The Pakistani, 25, was in the process of carrying 144 boxes of banned amphetamines and tranquilisers from his pick-up truck to a hotel in Dubai when officers arrested him.
In total, the driver had 293kg of Valium, Xanax, Rivotril and methamphetamines in 144 boxes.
In court, the accused denied being involved in the smuggling or sale or drugs.
“I don't know what the boxes contained, I was hired by a man - and paid Dh1 for each box I carried,” he told a judge.
An officer said police tracked the shipment from Jebel Ali Port after a tip-off.
“As part of out investigations, we discovered that a suspicious shipment was released from Jebel Ali Port,” a 52-year-old officer testified.
He said that on November 21 the team tracked the shipment to the fruit and vegetable market in Ras Al Khor, where they saw the suspect loading boxes into his pick-up truck.
“We followed him to the Naif area [of Deira] and watched as he unloaded the entire shipment and started carrying the boxes into a hotel across the street."
When they arrested the man, officers found drugs wrapped in rolls of fabric inside the boxes.
The officer testified that he initially claimed he had no idea there were drugs inside, only to change his story and admit to knowing he was carrying drugs.
The next hearing will be on March 18.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
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