A BAHRAINI, with a prior conviction of drug dealing, has been sentenced to death by the High Criminal Court after being found guilty of smuggling 50 kilogrammes of hashish from Iran.
The defendant, who lives in Karranah, was charged with importing and possessing the drug with the intent to distribute and was also fined BD100,000 yesterday.
The 43-year-old Bahraini was arrested in March this year following a police investigation, aided by a Bahraini suspect from a separate narcotics case who provided detectives with vital information about an Iranian drugs link and offered to take part in a sting operation.
“A defendant from another drugs case, who knew the convict, offered to help us,” a police officer told the court.
The informer revealed that the defendant was working with an Iranian national known by the nickname ‘Abu Redha’ who had also approached him.
According to court documents, the informant reached out to the Iranian national and helped the authorities set up a sting operation to catch the defendant.
Under the supervision of police investigators, the informant set-up a three-stage plan with the Iranian national to bring a large shipment of hashish into Bahrain.
Abu Redha agreed to drop two barrels containing the contraband at a specified location at sea and sent the co-ordinates. The shipment would be deposited at another location and Abu Redha would forward details of the drop to the defendant to pick up and distribute.
“The pick-up operation went as planned and we retrieved the two barrels from the sea after receiving the GPS coordinates from the Iranian national,” said the police officer.
“We then set up the sting operation by placing the shipment in a bag inside a building in Juffair that was still under construction,” he told the court.
“The informant sent a photograph of the bag to Abu Redha along with details of where it had been placed, who forwarded the information to the defendant.”
According to his statement, the 43-year-old duly arrived at the location and was arrested.
Court documents revealed that following a search of the defendant’s car prescription pills were found alongside SIM cards, plus BD1,600 in cash and 1,200 Saudi riyals (BD120).
A Public Prosecution-authorised search of the defendant’s house yielded various amounts of cash, a GPS device, a satellite-connected mobile phone and memory cards.
The money found included BD1,600, 96,000 Saudi riyals (BD9,600), 1,295 Emirati dirhams (BD 132), and 3,570 Thai baht (BD36).
The phone found was known as a UAE-made ‘Thuraya’ mobile phone, which allows communication even when there is no connection to cell towers through mobile-satellite service.
The 43-year-old admitted to the Public Prosecution of his intention to market and sell the drugs in Bahrain, in co-operation with Abu Redha.
He also admitted that the two had previously worked together on a similar venture in 2019, where they agreed a deal to sell 10 kilogrammes of hashish for BD8,000.
The 43-year-old defendant stated that this time around, he was promised BD200 per kilogramme of hashish trafficked.
Additionally, he told the Public Prosecution about his successful collaboration with a Saudi Arabian man, where he was tasked with arranging for ‘dead drops’ and received BD300 per operation.
A scan of the Bahraini convict’s mobile data showed several conversations with other drug traffickers, and correspondences with Abu Redha, including videos of contraband and voice messages.
The court was told that the Bahraini first entered the drugs world in 2005. He had a prior conviction in 2018 for possession and the sale of hashish which was taken into account when the death sentence verdict was reached.
He has two chances to appeal the judgement in the High Criminal Appeals Court and the Cassation Court.
The informant was acquitted of all methamphetamine-related charges yesterday in an unrelated case where he was tried with five co-defendants who were all found guilty.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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