Three Convicted for Money Laundering Linked to Drug Trafficking in Bahrain

The Chief Prosecutor of Financial Crimes and Money Laundering announced that the First High Criminal Court has issued its verdict today in the case involving three defendants charged with laundering proceeds from drug cultivation intended for trafficking.

The court sentenced each of the three to five years in prison, imposed a fine of BHD 100,000 per defendant, and ordered the confiscation of BHD 38,769 from their funds and assets. Additionally, the first and third defendants will be permanently deported from the country after serving their sentences.

The case originated when the Public Prosecution received a report from the Anti-Narcotics Directorate regarding suspects involved in cultivating and trafficking controlled substances. Following this, the prosecution conducted parallel financial investigations to trace the laundering of the proceeds from drug trafficking. The National Centre for Financial Investigations was tasked with carrying out inquiries, preparing financial analysis reports, and identifying the defendants’ movable and immovable assets, as well as tracking their financial transactions to monitor the proceeds of crime and associated activities.

Investigations revealed that the defendants had acquired and received over BHD 38,000 from drug trafficking and conducted money laundering operations, including cash withdrawals, currency exchanges, and overseas transfers, to conceal the origin of the funds and give them a legitimate appearance.

Following the financial investigations and technical reports, the prosecution questioned the first and second defendants and confronted them with evidence. An arrest order was issued for the third defendant, who had fled. All three were referred to the competent criminal court, which issued the aforementioned ruling.