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A dog-loving woman has been accused of using ‘walkies’ as a method for distributing drugs on her route at dead drops for users to later collect, the High Criminal Court heard.
But her seemingly perfect ploy proved her downfall when she was ‘caught in the act’ by Anti-Narcotics Directorate officers after police received a lead on the case.
The court heard that the 39-year-old defendant was recruited by her drug dealer to join his operation, after she confided to him that she lost her job as a restaurant cook, and was in a ‘tough spot’.
Policemen received a tip-off about her activities, and kept watch in the areas she allegedly operated in, until she was spotted by investigators.
“We saw a woman, who was walking a small dog and carrying a pink handbag, moving with extreme caution,” a police officer earlier told the Public Prosecution. “She was seen stashing an item near a house in Abu Ashira. The item was recovered, and it appeared to be a plastic bag containing a crystal substance, believed to be shabu (methamphetamine).
“She was immediately stopped by female officers, who searched her bag and found five more of these bags. More substances, believed to be shabu, were found at her home.”
The policeman elaborated that the bags were wrapped in a black tape, and they were referred to as ‘rolls’ in court documents.
Nearly half a kilogramme of shabu, in different forms, were recovered in rolls, bags and plastic containers around her Mahooz apartment, the officer testified. More drug paraphernalia and packaging materials were also allegedly uncovered.
Three dogs, found in her flat, were also handed over to an animal shelter for safekeeping. The police reached out to an animal welfare organisation, which sent a representative to the scene to collect the pets. A receipt of the dogs’ admission to the shelter was provided in court documents.
According to the Public Prosecution, the defendant admitted to selling drugs as part of a ‘criminal network’, and has repeatedly made ‘dead drops’ around the country, for her own financial gain.
“I previously worked as a cook at a restaurant in Seef with a BD190 monthly salary, and have no other source of income, while my rent is BD120,” the Filipina earlier testified. “I was also using drugs at the time, and would purchase them for a Pakistani man. I got to know him, and he told me I could be a seller and get extra cash.
“I needed to support my family, and he knew that, so he offered to help. So we agreed, and I received the goods from him more than 20 times, whether it be shabu, hashish, CBD oil, cocaine or heroin. Then I dropped them off at locations he sent me to.
“He would then wire me BD150 to BD180 in return. I was selling for him because I wanted to support my family.”
She was charged with selling, promoting and distributing meth. She was also charged with using meth, and traces of the stimulant were reportedly detected in her urine.
The Filipina will be able to collect her pets from the animal welfare centre if she is released on bail or acquitted of the charge.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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