New Dubai Drug Laws for Billy Hood

2021 saw the arrest of Peter Clark and Billy Hood. Peter was arrested for “possession” when his blood tests returned positive for hashish he had consumed in Las Vegas, long before his trip to Dubai. Peter was released following widespread criticism of the harsh laws of possession that essentially render them extraterritorial in nature.

• Dubai Revises Antiquated Drug Laws

Billy Hood was charged with trafficking, selling and possessing tiny bottles of CBD vape oil that were left in his car by a negligent visiting friend as Billy dropped him off at the airport. The facts are, the police had zero evidence of trafficking and their evidence of selling was that Billy had £2,000 in cash in his apartment, later proved to be payment from his wages as a sports coach. Billy’s blood tests all returned negative but he has remained in jail for a year, desperately trying to challenge courts to take his case seriously rather than assume guilt and hand over maximum sentences. Billy’s 25 year sentence has now been reduced to 10 years but Dubai’s new laws, even if they assumed his guilt, would have seen him “fined” or “deported”.