News: African Footballer jailed for carrying 1.8kg cocaine into Dubai
A footballer has been jailed for 10 years for transporting 1.8kg of cocaine that he secretly stitched inside his shorts while transiting through Dubai on his way to Abidjan.
An airport policeman detained the footballer, Q.V., from Guinea-Bissau, after 16 pouches containing the cocaine were found stitched inside his underwear at Dubai International Airport in May.
Despite having entered a not guilty plea, the Dubai Court of First Instance jailed Q.V. for transporting drugs and fined him Dh50,000.
"I am a professional footballer and play for a Brazilian club. I did not know I was carrying drugs. I was transporting a pair of shorts as a favour to a friend," he argued in court.
The accused will be deported after serving his punishment.
Drugs prosecutors said the accused carried the cocaine in 16 thin pouches stitched to the beige pair of shorts.
When asked why he carried the shorts, the defendant replied: "I was training with my football club ... once we finished training, a friend gave me the pair of shorts at the pitch ... he asked me to give it to his brother in Abidjan. I was flying from Brazil to Abidjan via Dubai," replied the suspect. When asked whether he knew the nature of what he was carrying, Q.V. contended: "The friend told me that it is a special powder used to clean gold. I am a footballer and I have nothing to do with drugs."
The policeman testified that he doubted the defendant once he exited the plane.
"I searched him and found the cocaine hidden in his shorts. He told me that his friend asked him to take the substance to the Ivory Coast against some money," said the policeman.
Wednesday's ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
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Sixteen pouches containing drug found stitched into defendant’s underwear.
A footballer charged with smuggling 1.8kg of cocaine pleaded not guilty before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday.
The defendant, from Guinea-Bissau, was transiting through Dubai on his way to Abidjan from Brazil in May when he was detained by a policeman at Dubai International Airport.
Sixteen pouches containing the cocaine were found stitched into the defendant's underwear.
"I am a professional footballer and play for a club in Brazil. I did not know that the substance I was carrying was a drug. I was transporting a pair of shorts as a favour to a friend," the defendant told presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi. "I was training with my club... a friend came to me at the pitch and gave me the shorts. He asked me to take it and give it to his brother in Abidjan."
The defendant, however, admitted in court that he was aware that the shorts contained some substance. "He [the friend] told me it was a special powder used to clean gold. I am a footballer and have nothing to do with drugs," he said.
The policeman testified to prosecutors that he suspected the defendant as soon as he walked out of the plane.
"I searched him and found the cocaine hidden in his underwear. He told me that a friend paid him to take the substance to the Ivory Coast," he said.
The defendant will present a written defence next week.
"I am a professional footballer and play for a Brazilian club. I did not know I was carrying drugs. I was transporting a pair of shorts as a favour to a friend," he argued in court.
The accused will be deported after serving his punishment.
Drugs prosecutors said the accused carried the cocaine in 16 thin pouches stitched to the beige pair of shorts.
When asked why he carried the shorts, the defendant replied: "I was training with my football club ... once we finished training, a friend gave me the pair of shorts at the pitch ... he asked me to give it to his brother in Abidjan. I was flying from Brazil to Abidjan via Dubai," replied the suspect. When asked whether he knew the nature of what he was carrying, Q.V. contended: "The friend told me that it is a special powder used to clean gold. I am a footballer and I have nothing to do with drugs."
The policeman testified that he doubted the defendant once he exited the plane.
"I searched him and found the cocaine hidden in his shorts. He told me that his friend asked him to take the substance to the Ivory Coast against some money," said the policeman.
Wednesday's ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
...................................................................................................................................................................
Sixteen pouches containing drug found stitched into defendant’s underwear.
A footballer charged with smuggling 1.8kg of cocaine pleaded not guilty before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday.
The defendant, from Guinea-Bissau, was transiting through Dubai on his way to Abidjan from Brazil in May when he was detained by a policeman at Dubai International Airport.
Sixteen pouches containing the cocaine were found stitched into the defendant's underwear.
"I am a professional footballer and play for a club in Brazil. I did not know that the substance I was carrying was a drug. I was transporting a pair of shorts as a favour to a friend," the defendant told presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi. "I was training with my club... a friend came to me at the pitch and gave me the shorts. He asked me to take it and give it to his brother in Abidjan."
The defendant, however, admitted in court that he was aware that the shorts contained some substance. "He [the friend] told me it was a special powder used to clean gold. I am a footballer and have nothing to do with drugs," he said.
The policeman testified to prosecutors that he suspected the defendant as soon as he walked out of the plane.
"I searched him and found the cocaine hidden in his underwear. He told me that a friend paid him to take the substance to the Ivory Coast," he said.
The defendant will present a written defence next week.
This people jus dey fall my boobs, off all places arab countries?
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