Dubai: Nine people have been arrested in Bahrain after being found guilty of importing selective goods without paying taxes, importing and selling banned herbal materials, local media reported.
The nine suspects were also found guilty of engaging in commercial activities without a license. Accordingly, the Lower Criminal Court has handed them jail terms ranging from one to three years, ordered of them to pay BD5,000. In addition, expats suspects will also be deported after serving their terms.
The court has also ordered the confiscation of the prohibited materials and the seizure of monetary sums, Ministries and Public Entities Prosecution Chief said.
According to the case file, the Public Prosecution had received a report from relevant authorities, about some suspects importing cigarettes and herbal materials used as an alternative to smoking tobacco, and hiding them from customs officers to evade paying tax.
Upon arrival to the kingdom, the imported materials were transported to warehouses prepared in advance and then distributed and sold in the country.
The Public Prosecution launched an immediate investigation into the incident, questioned the defendants, ordered their remand in custody, seized the materials and the sums obtained from their sale, and referred them to the Lower Criminal Court which issued the aforementioned ruling against them
