Court upholds five-year sentence for drug dealer

AMMAN — A man, who was convicted by the State Security Court (SSC) in November 2022 of selling illegal narcotics to an undercover agent in Ramtha in return for JD10, had his five-year sentence upheld by a higher court.

The Court of Cassation upheld the ruling of the defendant, who is a Ramtha resident, after reviewing his case for around four months. 

The SSC declared the defendant guilty of obtaining illegal narcotics (Crystal meth) with the intent of selling the drugs to an undercover agent on May 20.

The SSC handed the defendant five years in prison for the offence of possessing illegal narcotics and ordered him to pay JD5,000 in fines.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learnt the defendant had illegal narcotics and sent one of its agents to pose as a buyer.

“The AND agent got in touch with the defendant and asked him for a small stash of Crystal meth in return for JD10,” court documents said.

When the two met, AND agents made the exchange and left, court papers added.

The defendant was placed under surveillance and was arrested two months later, the court added.

Upon searching the defendant, the court maintained, the law-enforcement officers found various small quantities of illegal narcotics on him, court transcripts added.

Crystal meth is the common name for crystal methamphetamine, a strong and highly addictive drug that affects the central nervous system.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the court “did not provide solid evidence to implicate his client”.

Meanwhile, the SSC prosecution office asked the higher court to uphold the sentence and the fine imposed on the defendant.

The higher court maintained that the SSC had followed the proper procedures in issuing the sentence against the defendant.

The Court of Cassation judges presiding were Yassin Abdullat, Nayef Samarat, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi and Mohammad Khashashneh.