Drug smuggling

Trio's death sentences commuted to life in jail for smuggling heroin into UAE

Three men, who were convicted of smuggling in more than 15kg of heroin into the UAE and promoting drugs, have had their death sentences commuted to life in jail.

The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi upheld earlier rulings by lower courts that found the Asian men guilty of smuggling and trafficking drugs, but cancelled the death sentences and instead ordered that the men spend the rest of their lives in prison.

The court also cleared two other defendants after it was proved that they were innocent.

Court documents stated that the anti-narcotic department arrested the men after getting a tip-off that they had brought a huge quantity of heroin and psychotropic drugs on a ship and were trying to smuggle them into the country.