R&B producer Dallas Austin leaves Emirates

Austin, a Grammy winner who has crafted songs for TLC, Madonna and Janet Jackson, was taken from Dubai Central Prison to the airport where he boarded a morning flight to an undisclosed destination, a police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Photo: R&B producer Dallas Austin leaves Emirates

R&B producer Dallas Austin leaves Emirates

One of Austin's lawyers, Mohammed Al Redha, refused to confirm the producer's release and departure from Dubai, where he was arrested at the airport on May 19 after cocaine was found in his pocket.

Austin, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced Tuesday to four years' imprisonment after being convicted of possession of 1.25 grams of cocaine. But hours later he received a pardon from the ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, according to the AP.

Sheik Mohammed has previously pardoned others jailed on drug charges, and it is usual for the released offenders to be deported.

Austin spent a month and a half in a comfortable prison cell with satellite TV at Dubai's al-Rashidiya Police Station, along with about 300 other prisoners, the AP reports.

Austin has several hits to his credit, including Pink's "Just Like a Pill" and TLC's "Unpretty." He won a Grammy Award for best R&B album in 1999 for producing TLC's multiplatinum "Fanmail."