The court additionally ruled that the man will be deported after completing his prison term.
A man in Abu Dhabi has been sentenced to life in prison and will be deported after serving his term for trafficking and consuming a psychotropic substance, following his arrest for selling crystal meth in exchange for money.
The case originated when prosecutors referred the defendant to criminal trial on charges of possessing a psychotropic substance with intent to traffic, as well as consuming it without legal authorisation, in violation of Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021 on combating narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Court records indicate that the accused was arrested while selling a quantity of a prohibited substance to another individual. Investigators found that he had agreed to provide the drug for financial gain, clearly demonstrating intent to traffic rather than personal consumption.
Authorities said the arrest followed surveillance, with the suspect caught during a controlled operation and the seized substance sent for forensic testing.
Lab analysis confirmed it was a banned psychotropic drug, and toxicology reports also showed the defendant had consumed it. His statements during questioning were supported by forensic evidence and the arresting officer’s testimony.
The court sentenced him to life imprisonment and a Dh100,000 fine for trafficking, plus a three-month jail term for drug use, and ordered deportation after serving his sentence along with confiscation of the drugs.
The defendant alleged procedural flaws and challenged the reliance on a single officer’s testimony, but the court found the evidence sufficient and valid, stating it was supported by forensic reports and the defendant’s own statements. It also ruled that minor clerical errors did not affect the judgment and confirmed the trial court’s discretion in establishing intent to traffic.
