Briton who had crystal meth loses court appeal

A British man who challenged a three-month prison sentence for trying to bribe Dubai police officers who caught him with drugs has lost his appeal.

The Briton, 27, offered police Dh150,000 after being found with crystal methamphetamine – an illegal stimulant associated with addiction and health issues. Police ignored the bribe and later reported it to senior detectives.

“I was among a team of officers given the task of searching the defendant’s home for banned substances and we found crystal meth,” an officer told the court.

He described how the man, who was under arrest in the back of a police car, had asked officers how much cash it would take for them to drop the matter.

“I kept silent when he asked,” the policeman said. “Then he said ‘Dh50,000?’, but I remained silent.

“Then he raised the amount to Dh150,000 and said he would hand over the cash if I drove him to the nearest bank.”

The incident occurred on November 13 last year after officers received a tip-off that the man was using drugs at his home in Jumeirah 1.

Police obtained a warrant and searched the man’s home, where they found the drugs.

At Dubai Criminal Court in May, the man denied a charge of trying to bribe an officer but was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison.

He was also fined Dh150,000 and ordered to be deported after completing his sentence.

An officer described how the man – under arrest in the back of a police car – had asked how much cash it would take for them to drop the matter