Court rejects appeal of liquor smugglers

Manama : Fourteen men jailed for smuggling alcohol worth around BD200,000 have had their appeals rejected. The defendants, Asians by nationality, will serve six months in jail, followed by expulsion from the Kingdom. They were among 21 suspects tried in connection with this case. The remaining seven suspects decided not to appeal the initial ruling. They received three months in prison, followed by deportation from Bahrain.

The men, according to court files, attempted to smuggle alcohol bottles hiding inside a ship importing sand to Bahrain. They were caught while unloading the bottles at the seaport. The first defendant, court files said, was supposed to distribute the bottles locally. A gateman at the seaport facilitated the entry of the suspects to the port’s cargo area to unload the bottles. The defendants were charged with smuggling bottled alcohol in a bid to sell them in Bahrain illegally.

It’s worth noting that the General Directorate of Investigation and Criminal Evidence revealed earlier that the defendants used the ship as a cover to manipulate the customs authorities. The seized items included vehicles used to transport smuggled items along with BD36,000 in cash money. The alcohol bottles were worth more than BD200,000.