Mechanic Jailed for 15 Years for Smuggling Pills and Hashish at Bahrain Airport

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Manama: A 24-year-old Asian mechanic has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for smuggling narcotics into Bahrain through Bahrain International Airport, after customs officers intercepted drugs concealed in his luggage.

The High Criminal Court of Appeal has set February 23 as the date for issuing its verdict on the defendant’s appeal against an earlier ruling that sentenced him to 15 years in jail, fined him BD10,000, ordered the confiscation of the seized drugs, and mandated his deportation after serving his sentence.

According to the Public Prosecution, the defendant was charged with importing and possessing cannabis (hashish) for the purpose of trafficking, as well as importing and possessing morphine and the psychotropic substances pregabalin and clonazepam for personal use, in violation of Bahraini law.

Court records show that the incident occurred on August 24, when a customs officer became suspicious while scanning luggage arriving from an Asian country. The defendant’s bag was marked for further inspection and diverted from the green channel to the red channel.

Upon inspection, officers discovered 2.2 kilograms of tobacco suspected to contain narcotic substances, along with 29 psychotropic capsules and 30 narcotic pills hidden among clothing.

Investigations revealed that the defendant knowingly transported the drugs with the intent to distribute, sell and use them inside the Kingdom. The defendant later confessed to bringing the seized substances.