A Doha Criminal Court has sentenced an Indian traveller to 15 years in jail, a fine of QR500,000 and subsequent deportation for an attempt to smuggle illicit drugs into the country. 
Local Arabic daily Arrayah has reported that the man was coming to Doha from his home country on a work visa when he was arrested at Hamad International Airport (HIA) carrying a carton as part of his luggage, with foodstuff and around 6kg of hashish.
According to the file of the case, the customs officer in charge suspected the contents of the carton and decided to refer it to a full search, during which the illicit drugs were found hidden in three bags among the foodstuff. 
However, the defendant denied any knowledge about the drugs or the real contents of the carton. He claimed that one of his compatriots, who helped him obtain the visa and promised him to find a job, gave it to him at the airport and asked him to deliver it to somebody who would meet him at HIA.
In addition to the smuggling conviction, the court convicted him of illicit drugs consumption, based on a lab test of a sample of his blood.
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