8 Indians Face Death Penalty in Saudi Drug Smuggling Scam
Eight Indian nationals face capital punishment in Saudi Arabia after being allegedly tricked into smuggling drugs by intermediaries.
Eight Indian nationals are currently facing the possibility of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia after allegedly being tricked into a drug smuggling operation. The group, which includes one individual from Kerala and seven from West Bengal, has been held in a Jeddah prison for nearly two months.
The detainees are being prosecuted under the Saudi Arabian Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Law. According to reports, the men were lured by intermediaries with the promise of high-paying employment and free Umrah pilgrimages, only to find themselves implicated in a major drug transport scheme.
The Deceptive Promise
The victims reportedly departed via Coimbatore airport in August 2026. They claim they were manipulated by intermediaries identified as Ali from Malappuram and Ashiq from Thrissur. The men were allegedly instructed to carry bags containing pregabalin—a controlled substance often marketed as Lyrica.
Among those detained is 40-year-old Umar Shareef from the Thrissur district in Kerala. Shareef, a father of two children aged 11 and 4, was reportedly found in possession of approximately 14 kilograms of the controlled substance. In addition to the criminal charges, he has been issued a fine of nearly 300,000 riyals.
Other detainees named in the case include:
- S.K. Kamal
- Kafizul Sheikh
- Abraham Sheikh
- Saudhin Sheikh
- Nasimuddin
- Ajigul Gazi
Legal Hurdles and Language Barriers
The legal proceedings, currently being held at the Fourth Joint Judicial Court in Saudi Arabia, have encountered significant delays. A major factor in the slow progress is the reported lack of a Bengali-speaking interpreter to assist the seven nationals from West Bengal during their hearings.
The detainees maintain their innocence, asserting they had absolutely no knowledge of the contents inside the luggage they were carrying. Supporters of the group claim that video evidence documenting the handovers of the bags exists, which could potentially support their claim of being unwitting participants in the scam.
Urgent Calls for Diplomatic Intervention
As the threat of the death penalty looms, the families of the accused have launched an urgent plea for help. They have reached out to several high-level authorities to seek legal and diplomatic assistance, including:
- The Kerala Home Minister
- Indian diplomatic missions in Riyadh and Jeddah
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
This crisis comes at a sensitive time for the region, following a period of instability that has seen the evacuation of over 300,000 Indians since February due to escalating conflicts in West Asia.