KUWAIT CITY, Jan 29: The Criminal Division at the Court of First Instance acquitted an individual and an officer working at the Coast Guard Sector in the Ministry of Interior of smuggling hashish and psychotropic substances from Iraq with the intent to trade due to lack of incriminating evidence. The Public Prosecution charged the defendants with smuggling hashish for trading.

One of the defendants was previously subjected to a final felony penalty. They were also accused of smuggling methamphetamine, alprazolam, diazepam, carboxamideindazole derivatives, tramadol and flunitrate epam with the intent to trade. They were charged with smuggling the narcotic substances mentioned in the first and second charges, with the intent to use them without proving that they are legally authorized to do so. One of the accused was charged with possessing amphetamine and benzodiazepine with the intent to use them.

Lawyer of one of the accused, Attorney Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan, argued in court that the charge against his client was not proven and there were no elements of crime against him, in addition to the lack of connection to the seized items. Al-Qattan added that the case papers were completely devoid of any evidence or indication that the accused smuggled the narcotic substances, whether for trading or consumption and that the papers were devoid of any valid indication or evidence proving his client’s connection to the seized items.

By Jaber Al-Humoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies