A man from the UK has been handed a 25-year prison sentence in Dubai after police in the Middle Eastern city found four bottles of vape liquid containing CBD in the trunk of his vehicle, The Guardian reports.
Billy Hood, 24, of Kensington, London, was convicted of trafficking, selling, and possessing drugs after he was allegedly compelled by authorities to confess in Arabic, which he does not speak.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was "giving consular support to a British man who has been imprisoned in the UAE".
In Britain, and in many other parts of the world, CBD is a legal substance, however, in the United Arab Emirates, it is illegal as it contains trace elements of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana.
As the oils were purchased in the UK, Hood, who is a soccer coach by profession, was handed a trafficking charge.
In a statement made via the campaign organization Detained in Dubai, Hood insisted he was not aware that the oils were in the trunk but supposes they were put there by a friend from the UK who had visited some weeks earlier.
Hood, who played semi-professional soccer for Kensington and Ealing Borough FC, also recalled being approached by law enforcement outside his home, asking to search his home and car for illegal substances.
He said: "I was shocked, scared, and confused. I told them I wasn’t aware or in possession of any drugs or substances."
When the CBD oil was discovered, Hood said he was kept in isolation for two weeks without any hygiene products. After a week, he was told that he would be facing a second prosecution.
Despite Hood's conviction, he maintained that he has a "zero tolerance" stance on drugs, telling his lawyers in a statement: "I coach football six to seven days a week. I am always working with kids and in schools all over Dubai.
"From age 16, I played football at a professional level for more than two years. I have always had a zero-tolerance on any drugs or illegal substances.
"For me to be accused of promoting and selling drugs in a country that has the same beliefs and values as me is very upsetting."
His family is working with Detained in Dubai and lawyers in the city to appeal against his convictions.
They have also set up a GoFundMe page to cover the legal costs of their endeavors and have raised £14,127 ($19,000) at the time of writing.
Hood's mother, Breda, described the experience as "the worst stress I have ever been through".
She said: "He’s always been such a good boy and has never been troublesome. He helps out children, coaches, and volunteers. He’s never been into drugs, ever … My son does not deserve to lose his whole life over CBD oil that wasn’t even his."
