Life for drug smuggling prime suspect upheld

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The High Appeals Court has affirmed the life sentence for the prime suspect in a drug smuggling case linked to a potato shipment.

However, it overturned the 15-year prison terms of six others, citing insufficient evidence and ordering their acquittal.

The case involved a shipment of potatoes with drugs in them that arrived in Bahrain from an Asian country.

A customs officer noticed discrepancies in the shipment information and decided to inspect the cargo.

Shipment

Upon opening the shipment, the officer discovered 6,200 bags of potatoes that had been hollowed out and filled with over 33 kilograms of drugs.

The incident was reported to the Drug Control Administration, and several individuals were arrested, including the six defendants who were later acquitted.

One of the arrested individuals confessed that the shipment belonged to another suspect who was involved with them.

Further investigation revealed that this suspect had been involved in importing and smuggling drugs into the country.

Trafficking

The Public Prosecution charged the first three defendants with importing hashish and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.

The remaining six defendants were charged with aiding and abetting the first three in committing the crime.

However, the High Appeals Court found that there was no evidence to support the charges against the six defendants.

The court noted that the prosecution had failed to establish that the defendants had provided any assistance to the main culprit in committing the crime.

As a result, the Appeals Court acquitted the six defendants and upheld the life sentence imposed on the main culprit.