A drug-dealing assistant accountant has been left counting the years he will spend behind bars after being sentenced to life in prison yesterday at the High Criminal Court.
The 32-year-old Bahraini was described as a ‘repeat offender’ during the hearing having been convicted of selling drugs in 2012.
He was also fined BD10,000 as judges ordered the confiscation of narcotics – heroin, hashish, meth and synthetic cannabinoids – found in his possession, which he had stashed away in his bedroom and inside a nightstand.
In a previous conviction 12 years earlier, the court heard he had been sentenced to a 10-year spell in prison and fined BD5,000 for trading in hashish.
“According to investigations, the defendant obtained the narcotics from two unidentified individuals in Pakistan, who he corresponded with through on WhatsApp,” the verdict read.
“He received the stock through dead drops all across the country, where packages of narcotics are hidden in publicly-accessible places, and the two men sent him the locations.
“After he collected the narcotics, he promoted and sold them through dead drops as well, then paid the unknown men with a part of the revenue generated from the sales.
“Customers either paid the courier who delivered the narcotics, or wired the amount on BenefitPay.”
The verdict added that the man most recently bought 400gm worth of hashish placed in Riffa for him to pick up, and three bags of heroin hidden behind a water meter in Muharraq.
The court heard that he would divide the drugs, place them in small plastic bags, and hide them for customers to find.
Anti-Narcotics Directorate officials obtained a warrant from the Public Prosecution to search the man’s residence and belongings after receiving information from a source.
He was arrested outside his home in Muharraq in April and during the police raid, a trove of narcotics and related drugs paraphernalia was found.
Police found his packaging station, which contained two sensitive scales, packaging supplies, along with scissors and metal rulers with brown-coloured hashish residue on them.
They also found bags of powdered heroin, containers of liquid synthetic cannabinoids (CBD oil), syringes, vapes, water pipes and more.
After searching the house, officers received intelligence that there were more drugs hidden in the outer kitchen. A black bag holding pieces of hashish and bags of powdered meth and heroin was uncovered.
He admitted to charges during Public Prosecution hearings and an analysis of his urine found traces of hashish and meth in it.
A glance at the Bahraini man’s criminal record revealed a long history of trouble with the law, including theft, assault and recreational drug use.
In 2008, when he was in pre-trial detention, a friend reportedly brought him strawberries and a laban drink, which police found contained a hidden piece of hashish inside.
In accordance to Bahraini law, repeat offenders face harsher sentences than those committing certain crimes for the first time.
Top stories for today:
Khaldiya clinch title
Traditional clothes plan for workplaces backed
Councillors call for plan to enforce public cleanliness
&uuid=(email))