Asian man's death in Bahrain hotel room caused by lethal cigarette, say police

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A lethal cigarette is allegedly the cause of the death of a young man found dead in a hotel room recently in Bahrain, according to the police.

Authorities disclosed that the victim and his friend had purchased a contaminated prerolled cigarette from a drug peddler whom they encountered outside their hotel.

According to the police, the victim, an Asian national who arrived in Bahrain just last year, had a habit of purchasing and smoking illegal drug-filled cigarettes from such peddlers.

A Bahrain court has sentenced the drug peddler to a 15-year jail term and fined him BD10,000, while the deceased’s friend received a lighter sentence of a year in jail and a BD1,000 fine.

However, the drug peddler has appealed the verdict, which the High Criminal Appeals Court is set to hear on November 19.

The accused men also face deportation after their jail terms conclude, with a re-entry ban.

According to the court files, police were notified of the death by the hotel reception, who were alerted by the victim’s friend sharing the same room.

During interrogation, the friend revealed that the victim had smoked a cigarette they purchased for BD5 from an acquaintance outside the hotel out of curiosity, unaware of the lethal substance in the cigarette.

“After smoking, my friend went to sleep but didn’t wake up,” he told the police, adding, “I immediately alerted the hotel reception.”

Law enforcement officers, who reached the scene immediately, rushed the victim to a hospital while questioning the friend.

The police said they also discovered undisclosed quantities of illegal drugs during a search of the hotel room.

Later, the victim’s friend admitted to regular drug purchases from a dealer near the hotel.

Following his description, the police identified and apprehended the drug peddler, later confirmed by the deceased person’s friend as the one who sold them the deadly cigarette.

Further investigation revealed the drug peddler’s operations in the hotel vicinity, targeting customers on the streets.

The Public Prosecution charged the suspects with possession and distribution of illegal substances within the Kingdom.