A legal adviser accused of selling and using cannabis was identified and apprehended after he sent a message to one of his clients to offer him drugs while the latter was in jail.
The 34-year-old Egyptian is standing trial at the High Criminal Court alongside a fellow national, who was only charged with using cannabis.
A Bahraini man, allegedly a regular customer of the expat, had been remanded in jail when he received a text message from the Egyptian. He informed the Anti-Narcotics Directorate, expressing ‘desire to help them’ catch the now-defendant. He ordered 200gm to 250gm of hashish, and the two set up a time and place to meet and make the exchange.
Little did the defendant know that the sale was being monitored by the police, who were lying in wait to catch him red-handed.
“A drug suspect said he sourced narcotics from the defendant and so a Public Prosecution warrant was acquired to arrest and search his dealer,” a detective who worked on the case testified.
“He asked him for hashish worth BD550, and the two agreed that he’d give him BD200 upfront, and pay the rest later.
“After the informant met the suspect in his (informant) apartment, and purchased 119 grams of hashish from him, a police team moved in and took the suspect into custody.”
Upon searching him, officers reportedly discovered an additional 117 grams of hashish. A subsequent search of the suspect’s apartment uncovered evidence indicating that he had been processing and packaging the illegal substance.
The second defendant, a client of the alleged dealer, was also arrested following an investigation into the latter’s communications and business activities.
“I get drugs from the first defendant. We meet in a coffeehouse in Hoora, where I usually buy 4gm from him, which I’ve done four times so far,” the 30-year-old second defendant said after his arrest.
“I’ve been using for eight months, and it started with the defendant supplying me with it.
“However, the last time I took drugs was five days ago in Egypt, and I came back the day before yesterday, so I haven’t used any drugs in Bahrain recently.”
A third Egyptian man stated that he received hashish for free from the 34-year-old legal adviser.
During questioning by the Public Prosecution, the Egyptian admitted to possessing drugs for personal use. On his phone, investigators found text messages between the man and his alleged clients, as well as a video of a ‘dark paste’ thought to contain hashish.
Urine samples from both defendants showed evidence of hashish in their system.
Judges have set April 14 as the date to issue a verdict in the case.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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