SSC jails five over charges related to drug smuggling

AMMAN — The State Security Court on Thursday sentenced five defendants to hard labour varying from five to 15 years  for smuggling narcotics, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The five defendants, consisting of four Saudi nationals and one Jordanian, were convicted of possessing narcotic substances and smuggling 130,000 narcotic pills, with the intention of selling them, according to Petra. The court sentenced the Jordanian defendant to 15 years hard labour and a fine of JD20,000, and one Saudi national to seven years of hard labour and a fine of JD10,000.

The court reduced the penalty of three other Saudi nationals to five years hard labour and a fine of JD7,000 each, after considering “mitigating circumstances”. The five defendants were caught as they planned to smuggle the pills in wrapped gift boxes hidden in their luggage, Petra added.