DOHA: Qatar has been cracking down harshly on drug smuggling attempts as it struggles against becoming an increasingly popular transit point.
Men and women found guilty of smuggling drugs into the country, whether in transit or as a final destination, can face a death sentence.
Two years ago, for example, a man was sentenced to death in Qatar and given a fine of QR500,000 for smuggling some 600kg of hashish and opium into Qatar on a speedboat.
It must be noted however that Qatar has not carried out the death penalty for more than a decade, so it is possible that many of those convicted eventually have their sentences reduced to lengthy prison terms.
Aside from the severe penalties if caught smuggling drugs, drug mules – men and women who have been paid to ingest drugs so that they can be transported undetected – risk dying from drug poisoning.
In 2013, a passenger on board a Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paolo, Brazil, to Doha was confirmed dead on arrival. Reports at the time suggested the Tanzanian male passenger had fallen ill after attempting to smuggle drugs by swallowing packets of narcotics.
Customs officials say they’ve previously been alerted to suspected drug smugglers by Qatar Airways staff, who have reported when a passenger refuses to eat or drink on a long flight.
