Grocery staff caught selling poppy seeds

Four Bangladeshi salesmen allegedly possessed 6.2kg of poppy seeds and were selling them through a grocery owned by one of them, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
 
Dubai Police Anti-Narcotics Department received a tip off that HM, who worked in a grocery, possesses and takes drugs.
 
After checking the authenticity of the information, police obtained the necessary permission to check the grocery, arrest him and any probable companions.
 
Police raided the grocery in Sabkha and asked the owner and salesmen if they possessed drugs. The owner, his sons and workers denied having any drugs.
 
However, police searched the grocery and found three sacks hidden in different areas.
 
Confronted with evidence, NS, 65, owner of the grocery, admitted to selling poppy seeds in the shop since 30 years.

He claimed that an Indian, whom he does not know, used to pass by and supply him with poppy seeds. He admitted knowing that it is a banned item.

“I asked my sons to get rid of the poppy seeds after the arrest of salesmen in other groceries in the area four months ago. But my sons refused to get rid of them,” said the owner.
 
Salesman, IA, 60, claimed that the shop’s owner used to assign his sons to collect poppy seeds from suppliers and to bring them to the grocery.
 
Salesman SM, 33, and the owner’s son, JS, 28, admitted to knowing that dealing in poppy seeds is banned in the UAE.
 
The court will reconvene on January 12

 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.