Brothers cleared of selling amphetamines

Two brothers were found not guilty of possessing and trafficking more than 55 kilograms of amphetamines.

But an Iranian man, 49, was convicted and sentenced to three years in jail and fined Dh50,000.

The three denied charges of drug possession and trafficking at Dubai Criminal Court last August. The Saudi brothers, aged 38 and 39, also denied a charge of using drugs.

Dubai Police said they had been tipped off that the Iranian was selling a large amount of amphetamines in Rigga.

“We managed to apprehend the Iranian as he was about to board a plane from Sharjah International Airport,” said an Emirati lieutenant.

Police said that during questioning on May 24, the man said he passed on a large amount of drugs to the Saudi brothers near a hotel in Al Rigga.

“We had the two men arrested at their residence in Rigga but no drugs were found in their flat,” the officer said.

“However, we found many car keys there and we questioned the brothers about them.”

One of the brothers allegedly told police that the keys belonged to cars that he owned, one of which was a Ford parked in the hotel car park. He said the others were in Saudi Arabia.

When police searched the Ford, they found drugs in a suitcase in the back seat and more in plastic bags.

“He said he didn’t know where to hide the drugs because the Iranian was leaving the country for a while, so he kept them in his car until the man’s return,” the officer said.

Police said there were 1.9 million amphetamine pills weighing a total of 56.3kg.

The court referred the brothers to the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours to face a charge of using amphetamines.