A financially distressed tourist who became entangled in a drug‑importation scheme has been granted a pardon on narcotics‑dealing charges in exchange for testifying against his co‑defendant.
The non-resident claimed that he had ‘unknowingly’ brought over 3.1kg of hashish on a flight from Thailand after being promised a sum of 50,000 Indian rupees (BD208).
Despite the pardon, the 21-year-old Indian was still sentenced to three years in prison by the High Criminal Court yesterday for using hashish.
Meanwhile, his debt-ridden Pakistani accomplice was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined BD10,000 for trading in hashish and meth. Both men will be deported after completing their sentences.
The court earlier heard that the Indian man, who was working as a taxi driver in India despite having a degree in marine navigation, was duped into smuggling drugs into Bahrain from Bangkok.
His 28-year-old Pakistani co-defendant claimed that he was forced into the illicit business by need and alleged that a loan shark had coerced him into selling narcotics. According to his testimony, the loan shark had provided him with money to settle debts in his home country but later began intimidating his family, threatening to ‘beat up and embarrass’ his father. He admitted that he sold drugs on behalf of the man from whom he had borrowed the money, in exchange for having his loan written off.
According to a Customs officer, the young Indian traveller was arrested shortly upon arriving at Bahrain International Airport after he appeared anxious and ‘high’. When his suitcase was opened, seven bags of hashish weighing 3.1kg were found. He was reportedly quick to admit that he had collected the drugs from Bangkok to deliver to Bahrain in return for a job and a payment of 50,000 Indian rupees (BD208).
According to a detective, the defendant was co-operative with police, and continued to communicate with the people who had organised his illicit trip. Although in police custody, he continued to do as his dealers told him, in a ploy to expose the other co-conspirators in the scheme.
The Indian placed the goods in a hotel room as instructed, which led to the eventual arrest of the man who was sent to pick up the merchandise – his Pakistani co-defendant. In the expat’s car, police reportedly found four rolled up bags of hashish and 24 ‘rolls’ of a crystallised substance, later confirmed to be methamphetamine.
During prosecution questioning, both defendants gave an account of their lives to prove that they were forced into the situation where they were found to be in possession of drugs.
The young Indian claimed that he did not know what was inside the suitcase, and that he was offered ‘a position in Thailand’ by a contact.
“I lived in a medium-level economic condition back home in Tamil Nadu, India, and I work as a taxi driver,” he said.
“I met another taxi driver who became my friend, and I told him I was looking for a better job since I had a university degree in marine navigation.
“He reached out and said he had referred me to a person in Kerala who had an opportunity for me.”
The so-called ‘opportunity’ was to transport a suitcase from Thailand to Bahrain.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani defendant, who works as an electrician for a BD130 monthly salary, claimed that he started a clothing factory in his home country, going in debt to buy specialised machines, with his accountant running his business while he worked in Bahrain.
“Two months ago, my accountant sold off all the machines, took the money and ran off to Afghanistan,” the 28-year-old told the Public Prosecution.
“But the people and the companies I was indebted to still asked for their money back. So, I had to ask a man for help and he agreed to pay off my debt for me, and gave me a month to pay it back to him.”
However, he was unable to repay the loan within the short period, which led to further threats against his family. Eventually, the defendant and the loan shark reached an agreement on how he would settle the debt. “I had to pick up drugs from locations he specified, collect them, and place them somewhere else,” he said.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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