Garage Suspicion Uncovers Drug Network Owner alert triggers police investigation

TDT | Manama | Email : online@newsofbahrain.com 

High Criminal Court of Appeal is set to issue its verdict on June 22 in a drug trafficking and possession case involving four defendants, following an investigation that began after a garage owner reported suspicious activity at his workshop.
According to case details, the owner became concerned after noticing repeated visits by individuals who did not bring vehicles for repair, raising suspicions of possible illegal activity involving one of his employees.

The case escalated when the owner confronted the worker, who failed to provide clear explanations for the frequent visits. Shortly afterwards, three men arrived at the garage asking for the employee before fleeing when questioned about possible drug-related activity.

The owner later escorted the employee to the police and filed a report. Security forces subsequently searched the suspect’s residence, where they found 195.3 grams of cannabis hidden in packaged form.

Investigations by the Anti-Narcotics Directorate suggested the first defendant was part of an organised trafficking network using a “dead drop” method to distribute drugs without direct contact between buyers and sellers.

The Court of First Instance had previously sentenced the main defendant, a garage worker, to 10 years in prison, fined him BD5,000, and ordered his deportation after serving his sentence. He was convicted of drug possession, sale, and trafficking.

Three other defendants received one-year prison sentences and fines of BD1,000 each for drug possession and use of psychotropic substances.

Authorities also seized cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and drug-use paraphernalia during the wider investigation.