Cairo court convicts 12 defendants over alleged manufacture and trafficking of synthetic narcotics; ruling remains subject to appeal

Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa, 39, has been sentenced to death alongside 11 other defendants in a major narcotics case involving allegations of organized drug manufacturing and trafficking.

Khalifa, who is known for presenting the crime and security programme “Mission Impossible,” was handed the death sentence by a Cairo court after prosecutors accused her and the other defendants of belonging to an organized criminal network established to manufacture and distribute synthetic narcotics.

According to Egyptian media reports cited by The Guardian, the court issued the death sentences after completing the legally required consultation with Egypt’s Grand Mufti, a procedural step in capital punishment cases.

The ruling, however, is not final. Khalifa and the other defendants have the right to challenge the judgment through Egypt’s appeals process.

Alleged drug manufacturing network

Prosecutors alleged that the defendants operated a sophisticated criminal network involved in the production and distribution of synthetic drugs.

Authorities reportedly accused the group of importing chemicals and other materials from abroad for use in manufacturing narcotics. Investigators further alleged that two apartments had been converted into laboratories where the drugs were produced.

During the investigation, authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilograms of narcotics and raw materials, in addition to unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Prosecutors described the defendants as members of an organized criminal enterprise specifically established to manufacture and traffic narcotics, making the case one of the most closely watched recent drug prosecutions in Egypt.

Khalifa's high-profile background

The case has attracted considerable public attention because of Khalifa's profile in the Egyptian media industry.

She became known as a television presenter, particularly through her work on “Mission Impossible,” a programme focused on crime and security-related issues.

Reports also indicate that she has business interests outside television, including a cosmetic-surgery clinic and an event-production company.

Her involvement in a high-profile criminal prosecution has generated significant interest among Egyptian media outlets and the wider public.

Separate kidnapping and assault conviction

Khalifa is also facing a separate criminal conviction.

In an unrelated case, she and several other defendants were reportedly sentenced to five years in prison over the alleged kidnapping and assault of a young man.

The two cases are separate proceedings, with the death sentence relating to the narcotics prosecution.

Death penalty remains legal in Egypt

Egypt retains the death penalty for a range of serious offences, including certain drug-trafficking crimes.

Death sentences in the country are subject to a judicial process that includes consultation with the Grand Mufti before a trial court formally issues a capital punishment ruling.

Human-rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about the use of capital punishment in Egypt, documenting hundreds of death sentences in recent years.

Despite the Cairo court's latest ruling, Khalifa and the 11 other defendants are not yet facing an immediate execution, as the judgment remains open to appeal.

The outcome of the appeals process will determine whether the death sentences are upheld, reduced or otherwise overturned