A 23-year-old Emirati man convicted of drug use has been fined Dh30,000 and prohibited from transferring or depositing funds to others or through others for two years. The Dubai Criminal Court imposed the fine due to his involvement in illegal drug-related activities and money transfers. The court clarified that the defendant can only use banking services with the approval of the Central Bank of the UAE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.
On January 16, 2024, the Al Barsha Police Station discovered that the accused had consumed methamphetamine and amphetamine without a legal prescription for the second time, as verified by official records. Prosecutors also revealed that he had paid for the drugs by transferring money to an account belonging to another individual. The accused had been subject to periodic drug testing since his release from prison on July 14, 2023, and had agreed to undergo both scheduled and surprise drug tests and to submit urine samples.
On February 16, 2024, his urine sample tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine during a scheduled test, according to a forensic report. During the public prosecution's investigation, he confessed to buying crystal meth for Dh150 and depositing the amount into a Pakistani national's bank account via an ATM at Dubai Islamic Bank. The drugs were subsequently delivered to him at a designated location in Dubai.
In court, the accused appeared via video call from detention and admitted to the charges. The court, having reviewed the evidence and testimonies, found him guilty. The judges stated that failure to pay the fine will result in one day of imprisonment for every Dh100 unpaid, commencing from April 23, 2024.
