A court in Egypt has sentenced popular television host Sara Khalifa and 11 others to death over involvement in procuring and trafficking drug-making materials. The news agency AFP reported this Saturday (Sept. 5), citing state media.
In the case, heard at a court in Cairo, 39-year-old Sara Khalifa and 11 other defendants were charged with running an organized drug-related criminal operation. The court ordered that their death sentences be carried out by hanging.
According to the case investigation, the defendants had formed an organized criminal network. The group’s main goal was to procure various materials for drug manufacturing from abroad, use them to produce synthetic drugs, and stockpile them for later trafficking. Law enforcement alleges that, alongside these drug-related activities, members of the group also possessed unauthorized firearms and ammunition. Operations carried out as part of the investigation recovered a large quantity of drugs and drug-making materials. According to authorities, the seized materials totaled more than 750 kilograms.
During the investigation, officials located two apartments. Law enforcement alleges these locations were being used as secret drug-manufacturing facilities.
Various raw materials and other equipment for drug manufacturing, along with unlicensed weapons and ammunition, were recovered from there.
According to case documents, materials brought from abroad were used to produce synthetic drugs, which were then stockpiled for later trafficking.
Sara Khalifa is a familiar face to Egyptian television audiences. She gained recognition hosting the popular program “Mission Impossible,” which discussed security, crime and various criminal incidents.
Beyond her television career, Sara is also involved in business. She owns a cosmetic surgery clinic, and also runs a production company involved in organizing parties and various events.
Beyond the drug case, Sara Khalifa was also facing another serious charge. She and several other defendants were found guilty in a case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man.
In that case, Sara Khalifa and other associated defendants were sentenced to five years in prison. As a result, the television host has received both a death sentence in the drug case and a prison sentence in a separate case. However, the Cairo court’s death sentence is not the final word — under Egyptian law, defendants have the right to appeal the verdict.