Six months jail, BD1,245 fine for smuggling tobacco into Bahrain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A Bahraini court handed down a six-month jail term yesterday to a person found guilty of smuggling tobacco and acquitted two others.

The head of the Tax Evasion Crimes Unit at the Public Prosecution said the Minor Criminal Court passed the verdict. The Court also slapped a fine of BD1,245 on the main suspect, equivalent to the value of the seized goods and ordered to confiscate the smuggled goods and the vehicle used. The suspect was charged with smuggling and importing banned goods for selling.

The Court, however, set free two other suspects for lack of evidence. Public Prosecution said it is studying the verdict, including the grounds for acquittal of the two others, in preparation for filing an appeal.

Incidents leading to the case occurred with the police receiving a call from the King Fahd Causeway Police Directorate that the Customs officers there arrested a Gulf national for attempting to smuggle a large amount of prohibited tobacco in hidden compartments inside his car. Public Prosecution opened an investigation soon after receiving the report.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to his crimes, where he also revealed the role of others, an Arab national and an Asian national.

He told officers that he was transporting the banned goods for the duo and handed over all of it to them in Bahrain in return for money. Based on the information, the police arrested the two suspects.

Investigators found that one of the suspects was involved in a similar case in Bahrain. Police produced before the court evidence gathered from the mobile phones of the suspects.