A man travelling into Dubai with his mother for a job interview was caught with more than 1kg of heroin, a court heard.
The mother and son were stopped by customs officers at Dubai International Airport, who found the drug haul stashed in a suitcase, Dubai Criminal Court was told.
The 23-year-old man, from Pakistan, wept in court as he denied the charge - insisting the drugs had been stuffed in false compartment of the suitcase without his knowledge.
He said his 50-year-old mother, who was travelling with him for the interview, had been "implicated" alongside him after the find.
Both denied a charge of smuggling heroin at court.
The son shed tears and groaned as he explained that a man in his home country who works for the travel office which processed his and his mother’s travel documents and visit visas, must be behind stashing the drugs in the bag.
“I was coming here for a job interview and this man, just prior my travel, offered me a suitcase because I didn't have one. I of course accepted but I was not aware it contained false compartments stuffed with drugs. I had no idea until I was arrested at the airport. My mother was arrested with me and implicated in this case because we came together,” said the son.
Records show that they were arrested on April 8 carrying 1.2kg of heroin.
“I was on shift when they landed after midnight. I suspected the bag because it had an abnormal thickness to the left side. I asked her about what the bag contained, she said her clothes and her son’s clothes, but when I opened the left side, the heroin was stashed in wraps,” said the Emirati customs inspector.
A verdict is expected on July 25.
