A drug trafficker, previously sentenced to prison and whipping in Saudi Arabia after being convicted on narcotics charges in 2012, has now landed in a Bahraini court on new drug-related charges.
The 42-year-old Jordanian, who settled in Bahrain following his release from a Saudi prison, is facing trial for allegedly running a hashish-smuggling racket.
He is also accused of possessing an array of narcotics – hashish, cocaine, tramadol, pregabalin (Lyrica) and diazepam (Valium) – for personal use.
Twelve additional defendants, including his brother and sister, are standing trial alongside the alleged kingpin on various drug charges.
Although many of them are implicated in helping the Jordanian with his operation, they have not been charged with drug trading.
Half of the dozen co-defendants are Jordanian, while two are Bahraini and there is a Lebanese, Saudi, Sudanese and Egyptian.
An officer in the Anti-Narcotics Directorate said they received confidential information indicating that the brothers, as well as another Jordanian and Egyptian defendant, were involved in drug trading for profit.
The Egyptian allegedly used his position as a general manager of a company to channel earnings through the business’s accounts, the officer said.
“Through our investigation, we learned that the first defendant’s brother and sister, along with another Jordanian defendant, smuggled hashish from Saudi Arabia on his orders,” he said.
“They concealed it cleverly to avoid detection as they crossed King Fahad Causeway into Bahrain. The Jordanian mastermind would then promote the drugs among his acquaintances for profit. He could not travel himself because he had previously served jail time in Saudi Arabia, where he was sentenced to whipping and later deported following a drug conviction in 2012.
“After completing his prison term, he settled in Bahrain. He was able to obtain quantities of drugs because his accomplices smuggled them on his behalf.”
The Jordanian mastermind’s 36-year-old brother is accused of using hashish, while his 27-year-old sister has been charged with using Lyrica.
Of the other defendants, nine are accused of using hashish, two of cocaine, three of Lyrica, three of tramadol, two of synthetic cannabinoids, and one of Valium, amphetamine and methamphetamine.
A policeman, who searched the 42-year-old kingpin’s home, allegedly found an assortment of illicit substances, including multiple bags of a powdered material, prescription pills, crystallised substances, and five chunks of marijuana.
Policemen also found a half-smoked joint, an electronic grinder, five digital scales, scissors with drug residue on them, and five packages of cigarette wrapping paper.
Cash seized from the apartment included BD689, $265 (BD100), eight Jordanian dinars (BD4.3), 345 Egyptian pounds (BD2.7), 20 Moroccan dirhams (BD0.83), and 150,000 Lebanese lira (BD0.63).
Three gold accessories, a gold chain and a watch were further found in his apartment.
During questioning by the Public Prosecution, the Jordanian mastermind admitted to owning all the listed contraband. He confessed to drug use and revealed that he purchased 1.5kg of narcotics from an unidentified man on four occasions within a year. Almost all of the dozen co-defendants admitted to possessing drugs for recreational use after buying them from the first defendant, with many of them stating they purchased from him frequently.
The defendants were arrested, one after the other, over two weeks between September and October.
In the fourth defendant’s house (50-year-old Lebanese), $1,500 (BD566) and 10,500 SAR (BD1,050) were found, and more drugs were confiscated from the 11th defendant’s home (43-year-old Jordanian).
The court adjourned the hearing until tomorrow to re-summon some of the defendants who did not appear at the court. Seven defendants continue to be remanded into custody.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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