Airport sting exposes drug trafficking ring

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A six-member drug smuggling ring bringing illegal substances into Bahrain through air cargo and mail deliveries has been taken down after customs officers intercepted a package at Bahrain International Airport. The package, sent from a European country, held four blocks of drugs concealed in plastic wraps and metallic foil.

Customs officials detained two men, aged 28 and 36, when they arrived to collect the package. Officers handed them over to the Anti-Narcotics Directorate, where searches uncovered further evidence.

Crime

The younger man carried a vape containing drugs and BD18, suspected to be crime proceeds, while the older man held BD96.500, also believed to be ill-gotten gains. With a search warrant from the Public Prosecution, police raided the suspects’ homes and found money transfer papers, ledgers, and postal packages.

Inquiries revealed the smuggling operation was run by two leaders overseas, with four accomplices in Bahrain managing receipt and sale of the contraband. The group used crafty methods, such as air freight and postal deliveries, to sneak drugs into the country.

Sales

Once the goods arrived, the local members handled sales to make money. Further arrests followed when other suspects tried to claim more packages. One suspect admitted to retrieving a package on orders from an overseas leader for BD500. He knew it contained drugs, admitted to using them, and confessed to storing them at another accomplice’s home.

Narcotics

A search of this home found drug-laced drinks and a cigarette pack with narcotics. Evidence from the suspects’ phones included messages about drug deals, photos of drugs on weighing scales, and videos showing specific drop points with payment details. Investigators believe this crackdown has dealt a heavy blow to local drug smuggling operations.