2 Filipinos get death sentence over drugs

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court sentenced two Filipinos to death on charges of possessing and peddling narcotics and psychotropic substances. It also ordered the seized materials to be destroyed and the mobile phones used and the cash money generated to be confiscated.

The defendants used to peddle narcotics and psychotropic substances for some drug dealers outside the UAE in exchange for sums of money. They used to receive large quantities of drugs placed in uninhabited places before the co-ordinates of the location of these drugs were sent to them.

Later, they used to sort the narcotics and psychotropic substances and put them into rolls before distributing the same in the places they deemed appropriate. The co-ordinates and photos were sent back to the drug dealers who in turn sent them to those who wanted to buy and obtain them through WhatsApp.

Following intensive investigations, a search warrant was issued by the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution to search the defendants and their residence. The police arrested the defendants and upon searching their residence, a suspected crystalline substance was found and was later proved to a psychotropic substance. Mobile phones used by the defendants for peddling their narcotics through WhatsApp were also seized.

Recently, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court issued a verdict sentencing a Pakistani to death on charges of possessing narcotics and psychotropic substances for trading purposes. It also ruled that the seized substances be destroyed and the car and mobile phone used by the defendant be confiscated.

The case dated back to a tip-off received by the Abu Dhabi Anti-Narcotics Department that the defendant was promoting narcotics and psychotropic substances by communicating with a drug dealer outside the UAE, who used to deliver large quantities of psychotropic substances to him through others residing in the UAE.

These residents used to hide the psychotropic substances in different places and then send pictures and coordinates to the dealer, who, in turn, sent them to other accomplices through WhatsApp. The accomplices used to go to the indicated sites to sort and divide the psychotropic substances and put them in rolls for distribution in the places they deemed suitable.

Later, they used to send pictures and co-ordinates of these psychotropic substances to interested people so that they could buy them. Following intensive investigations, the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution was approached for a warrant to arrest the defendant to search the defendant personally as well as his residence and car.