A British man who offered a police officer a Dh150,000 bribe to avoid arrest after a drugs raid at his Dubai home has been jailed.
The broker, 27, attempted to pay off his arresting officer after he was caught in possession of crystal meth.
Police swooped at his home in Jumeirah 1, Dubai, on November 13 of last year after acting on a tip-off that he was taking drugs at the property.
The emirati officer, from Dubai Police's drug control department, said the defendant first offered him Dh50,000 in a bid to evade justice, before increasing to figure to Dh150,000.
The officer reported the incident - and now the offender has been ordered to serve time and pay the sum he offered in the form of a hefty fine.
“I was among a team of officers tasked with searching the defendant’s home for banned substances," said the officer. "We found crystal meth at his home.”
The policeman said he escorted the man to the patrol car and seated him in the back, while he himself sat in the front.
"He asked me what amount of money I would ask for to release him. I kept silent. He said 'Dh50,000?', and I kept silent. Then he raised the amount to Dh150,000 and said he would hand over the cash if I drove him to the nearest bank," said the officer, who reported the incident upon his arrival at the police station.
Police said that the defendant admitted to a charge of offering a bribe during questioning, however, in court last May, he denied the charge.
He was sentenced to three months in prison and fined Dh150,000.
He will be deported after serving his term.
