What does the law prohibit?
Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021 on Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances prohibits importing, exporting, transferring, producing, manufacturing, bringing in, possessing or acquiring controlled substances, and related acts, except in authorised cases.
Article 10 applies to the substances in Schedules 1, 2, 4 (Section 1) and 5. Article 11 applies to Schedules 3, 6, 7 and 8. Plants that produce narcotics are dealt with in a separate chapter beginning at Article 14. Possession itself is therefore an offence under these articles, separate from the personal use offences in Articles 41 to 44.
What are the penalties?
Penalties for these offences are set by Schedule 10 of the law and depend on the substance and the quantity. The law then adds heavier penalties where the purpose is trafficking or promotion.
Under Article 57, a violation of Article 10(1) or Article 14 is punished as set out in Schedule 10, and the penalty is death if the crime is committed with the intent of trafficking or promotion, or if the offender belongs to a hostile group or organised gang or works for its benefit. Under Article 58, a violation of Article 11 is punished under Schedule 10, and the penalty is death or life imprisonment in the same aggravated circumstances. Article 59 covers a person who is authorised to possess a substance but breaches the purpose of the authorisation: imprisonment of no less than five years and a fine of no less than AED 100,000, rising to life imprisonment and a fine of AED 100,000 to AED 200,000 if the intent is trafficking or promotion.
Why does intent matter so much?
Because the same quantity can fall under very different penalties depending on whether it is shown to be for personal use or for trafficking or promotion.
The law itself draws the line: personal use is dealt with in Articles 41 to 45, while intent to traffic or promote triggers the aggravated penalties in Articles 57 to 59. In practice the prosecution relies on the quantity, packaging, communications, money and the circumstances of the arrest. The defence examines each of those and what they can and cannot prove.
What defences are commonly raised?
The usual lines of defence concern knowledge, control, how the evidence was obtained and how the offence is characterised.
These include that the accused did not know the substance was present or had no real control over it, that the search, seizure or sampling was defective, that laboratory testing or the chain of custody is unreliable, and that the facts show personal use rather than trafficking. None guarantees an outcome, and each depends on the evidence.
What should I do first?
Say nothing about the substance without advice
Statements about ownership and purpose carry the most weight.
Preserve your phone and messages
Do not delete anything. Deleting can look like concealment.
Do not contact co-accused or witnesses
Leave it to your lawyer.
Call us immediately
Early involvement matters most in these cases.
Call us on +971 50 653 1334 or message us on WhatsApp. We answer at any hour.
Frequently asked questions
Can possession alone lead to a long sentence?
Yes. Articles 10, 11, 57 and 58 punish possession and acquisition themselves under Schedule 10, and the penalties rise with the quantity involved.
Does the death penalty apply?
The law provides for it in Articles 57 and 58 where the offence is committed with intent to traffic or promote, or for a hostile group or organised gang, and in Article 59 on repetition by a licensed person. Whether a court imposes it depends on the evidence, and judgments can be appealed.
Can a doctor or pharmacist be liable?
Yes. Article 59 applies to a person authorised to possess a substance who breaches the purpose for which they were authorised.
Is a foreigner deported after conviction?
Article 75 requires the court to order deportation of a foreigner convicted of any crime in the law, with two exceptions. See our guide on deportation.
Related guides
Drug Offences overview
The main points, the process and your first steps.
Read the overviewPersonal Use
What the law says about using drugs, or having them for personal use, the penalties for first and repeat offences, and when treatment can replace a sentence.
Read the guideDeportation
Article 75 requires the court to order deportation of a foreigner convicted of a drug offence, with two narrow exceptions. Here is what they are and what to prepare.
Read the guideSources
Source: official English text on the UAE Legislation portal, checked 9 October 2026. The portal lists the law as active and last updated on 1 October 2025. The Arabic text prevails over translations.
This page is general information, not legal advice.