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An alleged drug-trafficking ring delivered hashish at an Asian restaurant near Manama after smuggling it into Bahrain on a flight from Bangkok, the court heard.
Four men – three Indians and a Pakistani – are on trial at the High Criminal Court on charges of illicitly bringing hashish into the country with the intent to sell it.
A fifth defendant, an Indian, was accused solely of using methamphetamine, with no charges relating to trafficking.
According to the court, the first two defendants had arrived in Bahrain from India for the first time, following a visit to Thailand to collect 3.35kg of the substance. The remaining suspects were residents of Bahrain.
A police officer, who investigated the case, told the Public Prosecution that the two Indians were caught at the airport with the illicit substances in their suitcase, disguised in the form of packaged food.
One of the two reportedly admitted to receiving the bag full of hashish in Thailand, having previously agreed with an overseas-based kingpin to transport it to Bahrain.
The narcotics, which were ‘creatively-hidden’, were detected by Customs Affairs officers, who then alerted the Anti-Narcotics Directorate.
Upon arrest, the two Indians were instructed to proceed with the plan to make the alleged mastermind believe they had crossed the border undetected.
The suspects went to a hotel in the Manama area, booked for them by the overseer, who continued to contact them via WhatsApp from an international number to ensure the goods reached their intended destination.
They were then told to drop off the contraband at the reception area of a restaurant that offers Thai food, to be collected by the next person involved in the operation.
The third defendant arrived at the restaurant and was arrested as soon as he attempted to retrieve the bag. He had a photo of the first defendant on his phone and was trying to identify him to make contact.
He, too, was to continue as ordered by his ‘boss’, who sent him a passcode to open the suitcase, and asked him to send photos of the bag’s contents along with a location pin.
The final member of the alleged smuggling gang – the fourth defendant – was to meet up with the third to collect the shipment. Upon noticing police presence, he attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended.
“The two Indians, who are not residents of Bahrain, admitted to receiving the suitcase from a person in Bangkok, who instructed them to pass it on to a person in Bahrain,” the officer testified.
Of the two aforementioned defendants, one was additionally charged with possessing hashish for personal use, while the other was charged with possessing both hashish and methamphetamine for recreational use.
Traces of these narcotics were found in their urine, according to the prosecution.
The trial continues.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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