4 days ago
Bahrain: BD80,000 Drug Money Laundering Trial Resumes For Three Suspects
A Bahraini man and two others, among them an American diver already serving life behind bars for drug offences, are facing trial over laundering nearly BD80,000 linked to narcotics.
The High Criminal Court adjourned the case to 11 August to appoint legal counsel for the first defendant. The second defendant is to be brought from detention, while the third is to be served with a fresh summons.
The two currently in custody will remain held.
Dead-drop postal exchanges
The American was previously convicted for growing and selling drugs through dead-drop postal exchanges.
Investigators looking into that earlier case found that he had worked with the other two accused to move the money gained from drug sales through financial channels to cover its origin.
According to the Financial Intelligence Directorate, the funds were sent abroad and used to buy items in a way designed to muddy their source.
Money
The Public Prosecution stated that all three were aware the money came from drug trafficking.
Prosecutors allege the first defendant handled BD38,000 through transfers and deposits at currency exchanges.
The other two are accused of laundering over BD40,000 by funnelling it through foreign financial firms.
