Accused complain about length of custody before trial

Six UAE nationals, who have admitted possessing hashish, yesterday complained about the length of time they had been held in custody in the run-up to their trial.

Dubai Criminal Court was told that the six accused and a seventh defendant, who did not attend yesterday's hearing, had tried to sell the drug.

At an earlier hearing, they admitted possession but said they had the drug only for their own consumption.

The defendants are AY, 22, jobless, SM, 35, jobless, NS, 25, retired, AB, 28, businessman, AA, 24, student, MS, 25, employee, and SS, 25, jobless.

The case dates back to April last year when Dubai Police's anti-narcotics department received information that SM was planning to sell hashish.

First Lieutenant Abdullah Hussein Lootah, an officer at the department, said in his testimony that SM was followed and a trap was set up to catch him red-handed.

SM was arrested while he was allegedly giving the drug to defendant NS.

Defendants AB and AA were sitting with him in a car, it was alleged.

Another officer has claimed that he caught SM and found more than Dh40,000 in his possession along with some tablets.

The court heard that the Dh40,000 allegedly came from the sale of drugs.

The case has been adjourned until March 14 when a verdict is due.

The accused will remain in custody until then.

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