An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 others to death by hanging for forming a criminal gang involved in manufacturing and trafficking synthetic drugs, official media reported on Saturday.
The 39-year-old presenter, known for her programme "Mission Impossible," was convicted along with her brother and other co-defendants. Authorities seized more than 750kg of narcotics and raw materials, along with unlicensed firearms and ammunition, from two apartments used as laboratories.
The court found Khalifa to be a core member of the criminal organisation and a key financier. Prosecutors said she had travelled abroad multiple times to meet with fugitive foreign masterminds to negotiate the supply of raw materials and smuggling routes into Egypt. Her brother was found to have been directly involved in chemical mixing and packaging.
Khalifa broke down in court and pleaded her innocence, saying: "Please listen to me. My parents raised me well. They are people who pray. I have never touched a cigarette in my life." She insisted her wealth came from her plastic surgery clinic and events company, and that she had no need to sell drugs.
The court consulted Egypt's Grand Mufti for a religious opinion before issuing the verdict, a procedure required in capital cases. The sentence is subject to appeal.
