AN expat labourer has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars by the High Criminal Court after being found guilty of possession with intent to distribute hashish after being ‘grassed up’ by users.
The 32-year-old Pakistani was also fined BD5,000. His co-defendant, a 40-year-old Pakistani, was acquitted of the charge of dealing but found guilty of using hashish and was sentenced to three years in prison, with an additional BD1,000 fine.
Both men will be deported after the completion of their sentences.
According to court documents, ‘secret sources’ informed detectives about an expatriate network smuggling hashish into Bahrain last year which prompted an investigation.
Officers raided the user’s home and he gave details about his supplier to investigators who then allowed him to take part in a successful sting operation, the court heard. It collaborated similar information received from another man in custody.
“I have lived in Bahrain since 2011. I’m married, I drive a truck and I’ve been using hashish,” said the 40-year-old in his statement to the Public Prosecution.
“I was at home in Salmabad and was shocked when police officers came to search the property. They found hashish. I informed them that I got it from a 32-year-old man.
“I co-operated with the authorities to help them arrest him by agreeing to buy 100g of hashish from him for BD600 in Sanad.”
Court documents revealed that the confidential informant who came forward with the initial information was a 30-year-old Bahraini who was in custody pending further investigation into an alleged narcotics offence.
According to his statement, while in Dry Dock Prison he offered authorities information regarding expatriate dealers – mostly Pakistanis selling drugs across various locations in Bahrain.
“We received information regarding a group of Asians smuggling hashish into Bahrain. Despite extensive investigative efforts we couldn’t identify all of them,” said a Bahraini anti-narcotics officer in his statement to the Public Prosecution.
“A Bahraini remanded pending an investigation into a separate narcotics case came forward with information identifying the two Pakistanis.
“Once the information provided was corroborated an arrest warrant was issued for the 40-year-old and a search of his home revealed seven bags containing around 24g of hashish as well as BD226, 1,200 Saudi riyals and two sensitive scales.”
The man revealed that he bought hashish from the 32-year-old and a sting operation was organised to capture him red-handed.
An agreement was made to exchange BD600 for 100g of hashish and, on the completion of the transaction, the 32-year-old was arrested.
Urine samples from both defendants taken for analysis confirmed the presence of hashish in their systems and data downloaded from their devices revealed videos and photographs of narcotics.
&uuid=(email))