A court has confirmed a four-year imprisonment against a visitor who was carrying a tiny drug leaf which his lawyer described as "dry and useless".
The Dubai Court of Appeal confirmed the initial verdict of four years in jail followed by deportation, and convicted the 20-year-old Saudi national, M.S., of smuggling and possessing drugs for personal use.
The Public Prosecution charged the accused with illegally bringing 0.52-gram of Qat drug (in the form of a green leaf) with the intent to use it.
His lawyer Saif Al Mutawaa, of Middle East Advocates and Legal Consultants, said: "My client had no intention to use the drug leaf. Drug enforcement officers found the insignificant qat leaf stuck on his kandoura [national dress] when he was coming from Yemen. It is dry and tiny enough not to affect the user."
Gulfnews: Jail term upheld for man who carried tiny qat leaf