Cairo Court Continues Trial of Producer Sara Khalifa in Major Drug Trafficking Case

The Cairo Criminal Court, convened at the Fifth Settlement, is set to continue today, Tuesday, the trial of artistic producer Sara Khalifa and 27 other defendants. They face charges related to forming an organized criminal gang specializing in importing substances used for manufacturing illicit drugs with intent to traffic, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The Public Prosecution previously referred 28 defendants, including Sara Khalifa Hamada, to the Criminal Court. The indictment detailed accusations of establishing an organized criminal network focused on importing precursor materials for synthetic drug production, with the aim of manufacturing and trafficking these substances. Additionally, they were charged with possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Investigations revealed the defendants established a criminal organization, led by some members, to manufacture synthetic drugs for trafficking. This operation involved importing the necessary raw materials from outside Egypt. Roles within the group were distributed across various stages: some members were responsible for sourcing raw drug materials, others handled the manufacturing process, and the remaining members managed distribution.

The defendants utilized a residential property as a hub for storing and manufacturing these substances. Authorities seized over 750 kilograms of synthetic drugs and raw materials intended for their production from this location.

Following the findings of the investigation, the Public Prosecution issued several urgent directives. These included inventorying the defendants’ assets, disclosing the confidentiality of their bank accounts, and freezing their funds. Furthermore, the two fugitive defendants were placed on travel ban and arrival watch lists, while the remaining defendants remain in custody. For more on efforts to combat such crimes, see recent reports on drug trafficking crackdowns in Egypt.