DUBAI // A 20-year-old student convicted of being under the influence of drugs has had his jail term extended.
Emirati H A was arrested by police officers who came to help him after his car became stuck in sand.
H A was spotted on the night of November 3, 2014, trying to get an SUV out of sand with two others friends.
“I was in Deira when I saw a Toyota stuck in the sand and three men trying to dig into the sand and get it out. I went to them and started helping them then noticed they were not normal, I asked them what they were doing in a deserted area at that time of the night but they did not answer and started saying that all they wanted is to get the car out of the sand,” said Yemeni policeman A Z, 23.
A Z called the operations room for back up and when an additional patrol arrived, officers searched the SUV and found different types of tablets.
The three men were referred to the criminal lab which confirmed that H A had consumed hashish and other types of drugs.
Dubai Criminal Court convicted H A of consuming and possessing drugs and sentenced him to three months in jail.
However, prosecutors appealed and the Dubai Court of Appeal increased the prison term to one year.
The other two men were found to be under the influence of mind altering substances, which is considered a misdemeanour, and both were referred to the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours.
salamir@thenational.ae
