Two arrested for sale of heroin in Oman

Muscat: Following a narcotics surveillance operation, two expats were caught for trafficking and selling heroin in Oman.
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Public Prosecution has detailed a case in which two expats were found selling heroin, with a stash that was hidden in waste disposal areas, buried under trees, and even kept in a mosque’s toilet.
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The case started with an expat, who had entered the country illegally, by swimming to the shore without detection by Oman’s coast guard, carrying with him more than 180 capsules full of heroin. His accomplice, an expat resident in Oman, waited for him at a coastal province in order to begin their drug trade.
The duo sold the drugs through different methods to stay undetected, including the use of other expat middlemen between them and their customers.
The expats also conducted the purchase of the drug and its collection in two different locations, as they would place the drugs in inconspicuous areas, such as garbage cans and hidden boxes, for the customers to pick up.
Anti-narcotics officials detected the duo’s movements and placed them under surveillance in attempts to catch them in the act.
Finally, one of them was arrested in a staged purchase of heroin to an anti-narcotics official, and was also found with capsules of drugs in his possession. The second accomplice, on the other hand, escaped as soon as he saw his partner arrested.
The remaining accomplice ran to the roof of a nearby building and hid inside a water tank. However, the anti-narcotics officials were on his tail and managed to arrest him from his hiding place.
With the defendants in custody, officials gathered details on the case by interrogation. The duo indicated to the officials where the remaining stash of their drugs could be found. The officials collected heroin left in waste disposal containers, and buried under trees near the duo’s living accommodations. An amount was also found inside of a toilet that is attached to a mosque.
The defendants also admitted to their crimes when confronted with the piling evidence found against them.
A total of 127 capsules of heroin associated with the defendants were found, as well as some monetary amounts.
Both defendants were charged with illegal possession and trade of narcotics, with a sentence of 10 years in prison, and a penalty of OMR3,000.
One of the defendants was also charged with illegal entry into the country, and received a punishment of an additional year in jail. The second defendant was charged with harbouring the first defendant illegally with knowledge of his illegal entry into the country, and was charged with an additional year in jail as well.
The defendants will be expelled from the country at the end of their jail sentence.