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DRUG smuggling attempts through Bahrain International Airport (BIA) continue with the latest trial of an expatriate man, who appeared in court yesterday claiming he thought the capsules contained gold.
The 60-year-old Pakistani, who had swallowed 158 pills, was charged with possessing methamphetamine – locally known as Shabu – and hashish with an intent to distribute, by the High Criminal Court.
He denied the charges.
However, he admitted to using hashish in Pakistan, prior to boarding the flight to Bahrain on May 1 this year.
Upon his arrest at the BIA, the 60-year-old was searched and X-rayed which revealed a total of 158 capsules in his intestine.
In his statement to the Public Prosecution, the defendant said he believed the capsules contained gold and not narcotics.
“I’m not a smuggler or a dealer, however I used drugs while I was in Pakistan,” he told the Public Prosecution.
“While I was in Peshawar, I met a Pakistani man who offered me a job in Bahrain and told me that he will take care of my travelling expenses and visa or permit fees.
“He said I would earn around 150,000 Pakistani rupees (the equivalent of about BD248). He also gave me some capsules and said that if I successfully swallowed them and got them into Bahrain, he would pay me an additional 400,000 Pakistani rupees (the equivalent of about BD660).
“I thought that the green-coloured oval capsules which I swallowed prior to boarding the flight to Bahrain contained gold.”
He added that upon his arrival in Bahrain on May 1, he was informed that he had to declare certain items to the Customs.
“I was searched by officers, but they didn’t find anything and then, I got nervous when they said they will do a more thorough search,” he said in his statement to the Public Prosecution.
“An X-ray revealed the capsules in my stomach and I panicked because officers suspected they were narcotics. But I was told they had gold.
“A few hours after my arrival and search, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and I was taken to a hospital where I excreted the capsules in phases.
“I’ve been using hashish for years in Pakistan and I admit that, however I’m not a dealer and I really thought these capsules were gold.”
The case was yesterday adjourned to August 11 for review.
This follows similar cases referred to court this year of Pakistani men smuggling narcotics into the country by swallowing capsules.
A 30-year-old man had admitted to swallowing 96 capsules filled with hashish and shabu earlier this month.
Another 32-year-old who had swallowed 79 capsules of hashish was sentenced to 15 years in jail in July and two drug mules (also from Pakistan) were sentenced to life in prison for swallowing more than 150 capsules in two separate cases in July.
Also, a 21-year-old Pakistani was sentenced to 25 years behind bars for attempting to smuggle in 44 pills of heroin in March.
reem@gdnmedia.bh
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