Man Jailed 15 Years for Smuggling Marijuana Hidden in Women’s Handbags

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The High Criminal Court sentenced a 30-year-old man to 15 years in prison and fined him BD10,000 after convicting him of importing marijuana for trafficking and possessing other narcotic substances for personal use. The court also ordered the confiscation of all seized drugs and related items.

According to the Public Prosecution, the defendant illegally imported cannabis (marijuana) into Bahrain on January 10, 2026, intending to traffic the drugs. He was also found guilty of possessing cannabis (hashish) and the psychotropic substance methamphetamine for personal consumption.

The case began when an Assistant Customs Officer at Bahrain International Airport identified suspicious items while screening luggage arriving from an Asian country via Sharjah. A suitcase displaying unusual green-coloured substances on the X-ray scanner was flagged for further inspection.

When the defendant arrived at the customs inspection area, he was directed to the red channel. During a search of his luggage, officers discovered two women's handbags containing six nylon packets filled with suspected marijuana weighing 185.8 grams. They also found small bags with printed designs and drug-use paraphernalia.

A Ministry of Interior major testified that investigations confirmed the defendant had imported the narcotics for trafficking, distribution and personal use. The investigation also indicated that he had previously sold marijuana to individuals known to him.

Prosecutors said the defendant admitted the seized items belonged to him and were found inside his luggage. An examination of his mobile phone uncovered photographs of various public locations marked with indicators, images of white crystalline substances packed in transparent bags, and online transaction records believed to be linked to drug-related activities.