15 Years for Marijuana Parcel

A Bahraini appeals court upheld a 15-year prison sentence against an Asian man convicted of importing around three kilograms of marijuana hidden inside a food parcel, while acquitting a second defendant due to lack of evidence proving criminal intent.

The First High Criminal Court of Appeal also fined the convicted man BD10,000, ordered the confiscation of the seized drugs and ruled for his permanent deportation after serving his sentence.

Court documents said customs officers at Bahrain International Airport became suspicious of a postal parcel after an X-ray scan revealed unusual density inside the package.

The parcel, which contained food items and household supplies, was later found to conceal 21 bags containing marijuana weighing about three kilograms.

Investigators said the defendant admitted he had been instructed by a person abroad to collect the parcel in exchange for BD1,500 and had used another person’s identity and address without their knowledge.

The court upheld the acquittal of the second defendant after finding no evidence that he knew about the drugs or was involved in the operation. His lawyer argued he had merely accompanied the first defendant and had no criminal intent.