Drug dealers arrested in Al Rayyan

A criminal court sentenced five expats from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to prison after being charged with drug trafficking and abuse. The total material seized was 279 grams of marijuana.

Three defendants were sentenced to three years in prison and was imposed with a fine of QAR200,000 each for selling marijuana.

The fourth convict is facing one year in prison in addition to a fine of QAR10,000 riyals, after being charged with cannabis abuse.

The fifth defendant was sentenced to a period of 3 years and a QAR20,000 riyals fine for drug abuse.

The anti-narcotics force has received information that the first defendant is promoting drugs and tried to sell marijuana to the source for QAR900.  An investigation was later conducted to validate the information; the anti-narcotics force granted permission from the public prosecutor to search the suspect and his car.

The police force arrested the suspects in Al Rayyan area after collaborating with the source. A blue bag containing drugs was seized in one suspect's car, another one admitted the possession of drugs at his residence.

The court said all defendants will be deported from Qatar after completing their sentence. [Arrayah]