The Criminal Court in Jeddah has sentenced 17 male and female Saudi citizens and one Syrian national to a total of 80 years in prison for possession and use of drugs, as well as engaging in immoral acts. The convicts were also placed under travel bans for varying periods. Despite appeals from the convicts, the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict. The verdict was the result of a series of in-person and remote trial sessions that lasted for 125 days at the first instance circuit of the Criminal Court.
The convicted individuals were found guilty of using and possessing eight different types of drugs, including cocaine, marijuana, and hashish, after gathering illegally at a chalet in the city. Among the convicts were businessmen, businesswomen, traders, a female marketing manager, and female students of nursing and pharmacy colleges.
