Drug addict who tried to steal Tramadol in Dubai gets three months

A desperate addict who attempted to snatch tramadol boxes from a pharmacy is given a three-month prison term.

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DUBAI // A drug addict who attempted to steal boxes of Tramadol from a pharmacy was today sentenced to three months in prison.

The Dubai Criminal Court heard that 22-year-old YN attempted to steal the boxes from GMC pharmacy in Muraqqabat on December 27 after presenting a prescription for cough syrup to the pharmacist.

The pharmacist was about to get the medicine despite growing suspicious that the patient was not as old as the prescription suggested. "He looked young but the prescription said he was 48," said DP, the Indian pharmacist.

The addict then grabbed a number of Tramadol boxes and ran out. The pharmacist and another employee gave chase and the addict dropped all but one of the boxes. During the chase the pharmacist grabbed the addict's ghotra (head band). Police used DNA traces on the ghotra to link the crime to YN.

salamir@thenational.ae