What is a possession allegation?
A claim that you had a controlled substance in your control.
Control, knowledge and the substance itself are the main questions.
What do we do?
We examine the search, the seizure, the testing and the chain of custody, and challenge any procedural defects.
We also address the circumstances that may count in mitigation.
Is personal use treated differently?
The law distinguishes it from supply in some respects.
The personal use guide explains how.
What should I do first?
Note how the search occurred
Who, when and with what authority.
Request test results
And the lab details.
Avoid discussing the case
Even with friends.
Tell us about any medicine
With prescriptions.
Call us on +971 50 653 1334 or message us on WhatsApp. We answer at any hour.
Frequently asked questions
Can a lawful medicine be treated as a drug?
It can, if it is controlled here and not properly prescribed. The prescription guide explains.
Is a first offence treated leniently?
That depends on the case. We tell you what to expect.
Related guides
Drug Offences overview
The main points, the process and your first steps.
Read the overviewDrug Possession
How the narcotics law distinguishes possession for personal use from possession for others, and the defence of lack of knowledge.
Read the guidePersonal 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 guidePrescription Drug Offences
How the law treats controlled medicines: prescriptions, dispensing limits, medicines prescribed abroad and offences by doctors and pharmacists.
Read the guideSources
This page describes how we act in this type of case. It does not restate the law: the linked guides set out the statutory position and cite the official English text on the UAE Legislation portal, uaelegislation.gov.ae. The Arabic text prevails over translations.
This page is general information, not legal advice.