A British man sentenced to four years in jail in Dubai after cannabis weighing less than a grain of sugar was found embedded in the tread of his shoe has reportedly been pardoned.
The English language paper 7Days reported that the Western-orientated emirate released Keith Andrew Brown early from prison.
The 43-year-old was arrested in September at Dubai International Airport. Customs officers found 0.003 grams (0.0001 ounces) of cannabis in a cigarette stub stuck on the sole of one of his shoes.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) – a popular destination for British tourists – imposes tough penalties for all drug-related offences. Four years is the usual sentence for possession, while trafficking is punishable by death.
On 19 February, the British dance act DJ Grooverider was sentenced to four years in prison for drug possession after trace amounts of marijuana were found in his luggage in November.
