A court in Dubai on Tuesday sentenced a Frenchman to life in prison following his conviction for drug trafficking, Emirati media reported. The man, identified only by his initials MY, was found guilty of possessing 66.5 grams of cocaine he intended to sell, The National newspaper reported. He was detained on May 18 following the arrest of another Frenchman for drug possession who told police he had purchased narcotics from MY, the daily said.

One of seven sheikhdoms that form the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is home to thousands of expatriate workers and a popular destination for Western tourists. It has strict drug laws, with possession punishable by at least four years in prison and those convicted of trafficking facing sentences including the death penalty.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2016