Latest news with #DrugControlDirectorate
Daily Tribune
12 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Lavender-sprayed clothes fail to mask drug haul; smuggler jailed for 15 years
An Asian man in his thirties has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined BD5,000 for attempting to smuggle nearly four kilogrammes of marijuana into Bahrain using a suitcase packed with lavender-sprayed clothes to disguise the drug's scent. The court also ordered the confiscation of his luggage and his permanent deportation following the completion of his sentence. The man was arrested at Bahrain International Airport after a customs officer noticed irregularities during a routine luggage scan. Inside the suitcase were twelve plastic-wrapped parcels concealed among folded clothing, emitting a strong scent of cannabis despite the lavender spray. The total weight of the drugs was 3.9 kilogrammes. When questioned, the defendant claimed the suitcase belonged to someone from his home country and said he had been instructed to deliver it to an unnamed person in Bahrain. The matter was handed over to the Drug Control Directorate. Investigations revealed he was acting as part of a smuggling network, tasked with transporting the shipment into Bahrain for onward distribution. He later confessed to knowing the contents of the bag and said he had agreed to the job in return for 20,000 rupees. Further evidence was uncovered on his mobile phone, including messages about using lavender to mask the smell and photos and videos showing marijuana being packed into the suitcase — all taken by the accused. Lab analysis confirmed the seized material was narcotic.
Daily Tribune
07-04-2025
- Daily Tribune
Toy washing machine packed with drugs leads to arrest
A toy washing machine stuffed with clay and hiding 439 psychotropic tablets led to the arrest of a man in his twenties after a Bahraini couple spotted a puzzling delivery. At the High Criminal Appeals Court, the young man — of Asian nationality — received a fiveyear prison sentence, a BD3,000 fine, and an order to leave the country after serving his term. The court ruled that the package, which had been received from a delivery company, was addressed to him. The case began when a Bahraini man reported that his wife's online order for cosmetics had instead arrived as a large parcel filled with children's toys. Curiosity Out of curiosity, he inspected the package and found a plastic washing machine toy that felt unusually heavy. Noticing a loose screw, he opened it and discovered a hidden bundle. This discovery led him to notify the Drug Control Directorate. On examining the package, officers found the suspect's name on it. Inside were small nylon packets filled with clay, concealing 439 tablets that tests later confirmed were psychotropic substances. Further inquiry revealed that the man had arranged for the shipment with the intention of distributing the tablets in Bahrain. Custody When he turned up to sign for the delivery, he was taken into custody and his residence searched. In questioning, he admitted to an arrangement with a partner to pass on the tablets to a young woman in Bahrain. A search of his mobile phone uncovered messages containing images of items thought to be drugs, a marked location near a roundabout, and a video clip showing what appeared to be the tablets.
Gulf Insider
06-04-2025
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain: Toy Washing Machine Packed With Drugs Leads to Arrest
A toy washing machine stuffed with clay and hiding 439 psychotropic tablets led to the arrest of a man in his twenties after a Bahraini couple spotted a puzzling delivery. At the High Criminal Appeals Court, the young man — of Asian nationality — received a fiveyear prison sentence, a BD3,000 fine, and an order to leave the country after serving his term. The court ruled that the package, which had been received from a delivery company, was addressed to him. The case began when a Bahraini man reported that his wife's online order for cosmetics had instead arrived as a large parcel filled with children's toys. Curiosity Out of curiosity, he inspected the package and found a plastic washing machine toy that felt unusually heavy. Noticing a loose screw, he opened it and discovered a hidden bundle. This discovery led him to notify the Drug Control Directorate. On examining the package, officers found the suspect's name on it. Inside were small nylon packets filled with clay, concealing 439 tablets that tests later confirmed were psychotropic substances. Further inquiry revealed that the man had arranged for the shipment with the intention of distributing the tablets in Bahrain. Custody When he turned up to sign for the delivery, he was taken into custody and his residence searched. In questioning, he admitted to an arrangement with a partner to pass on the tablets to a young woman in Bahrain. A search of his mobile phone uncovered messages containing images of items thought to be drugs, a marked location near a roundabout, and a video clip showing what appeared to be the tablets.
