Dealer jailed for selling narcotics to undercover police

AMMAN — A 28-year-old defendant, who was sentenced by the State Security Court (SSC) to over three years in prison for selling illicit drugs to an undercover agent, recently had his verdict upheld by a higher court.

The defendant was convicted by the SSC of possessing illegal narcotics (Hashish) with the intent of selling them in the local market on January 3, 2022.

The SSC first handed the defendant a five-year prison term in June for the offence of possessing illegal narcotics, and ordered him to pay JD5,000 in fines.

However, the court decided to reduce the fine to JD3,500 and the prison term to three years and four months to give the defendant a second chance in life.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learned that the defendant, who was a resident of an eastern Amman neighbourhood, was in possession of illegal narcotics, and sent an agent to pose as a buyer.

“The AND agent got in touch with the defendant and asked him for a small stash of illegal drugs in exchange for JD8,” the court documents said.

When the two met, AND agents immediately arrested the suspect, the court papers added.

Upon searching the defendant, the court papers said, “AND personnel found a small amount of illegal narcotics on him". 

The law enforcement officers also found a cell phone that showed the undercover agent’s number as the most recently recorded phone call, according to court documents.

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.

“It was clear to the court that the defendant confessed willingly to possessing the illegal drugs,” the higher court said.

The Court of Cassation judges presiding were Mahmoud Ebtoush, Majid Azab, Hayel Amr, Fawzi Nahar and Mohammad Shreiri.