Asif

Mumbai, June 3: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has been detained at Dubai airport for alleged possession of drugs, the latest in a series of celebrities to meet the fate in the Gulf city known as much for its glitz as for its zero-tolerance policy towards narcotics.

Asif, whose promising career has been dogged by injuries and dope taint, was detained on Sunday after he flew in on an Emirates flight from Mumbai. The bowler, part of the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, played in Friday’s semi-final against Rajasthan.

The 25-year-old was apprehended with a small packet of white substance in his wallet, which has been sent for tests along with samples of Asif’s blood and urine. No charges have been pressed yet, but if convicted, he could face a prison term ranging from four to 20 years.

Gulf airports, unlike those in India, are known for their hi-tech facilities for spotting banned substances.

Several Indian celebrities — among them DJ Aqeel, actor Vijay Raaz and fashion designer Prasad Bidappa — have been detained in Dubai for alleged drug possession.

The Pakistan Cricket Board sprang to Asif’s defence, saying he was “innocent till proven guilty”. It even picked him for the triseries against India and Bangladesh.

In a phone interview to a TV channel, Asif claimed he got into an argument with airport officials and slapped one of them. The pacer claimed he had a small quantity of “Shilajit”, an ayurvedic medicine for boosting libido, in his wallet.

IPL officials were cautious. “We will wait to take a call on the issue till charges are proved,” IPL chief executive Sunder Raman said.

Asif, incidentally, had been tested for dope on May 30, after the first semi-final, as part of random checks carried out by the World Anti-Doping Agency. “As far as I know, his dope test results are awaited,” said Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s chief administrative officer.