Popular TV host, media star faces hanging after conviction in major synthetic drug trafficking case

A popular Egyptian TV host, Sarah Khalifa, has been sentenced to death by hanging in a major synthetic drug trafficking case. Khalifa is one of 12 defendants facing execution for their alleged roles in an organized criminal group that manufactured and trafficked synthetic drugs. The case involved 28 defendants in total, with others receiving life sentences or being acquitted. Authorities seized over 750 kilograms of synthetic narcotics and raw materials. The prosecution's case relied on witness statements and digital evidence. Khalifa, also a beauty clinic owner, was arrested in Cairo in April 2025.

A Cairo criminal court has sentenced Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 others to death by hanging for their involvement in a drug trafficking ring. The defendants were convicted of forming an organized criminal gang that procured materials for manufacturing and trafficking narcotics. The case involved 28 defendants, with nine others receiving life imprisonment and seven being acquitted. Prosecutors stated the gang imported raw materials from abroad to produce synthetic drugs, storing them in residential properties and dividing roles for procurement, manufacturing, and distribution. Investigators also seized unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Khalifa, known for hosting a security and crime program, denied the charges and maintained her innocence.

Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa, known for her crime-focused program "Mission Impossible," has been sentenced to death by hanging along with 11 others in Egypt. The group was convicted of drug charges, including importing ingredients for drug manufacturing with the intent to sell, and possessing illegal firearms and munitions. Authorities seized over 750kg of narcotics and raw materials during the investigation. The verdict, announced last month and confirmed after obtaining a religious opinion from the grand mufti, can be appealed. Khalifa, 39, has denied the charges.

An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa, 39, and 11 others to death by hanging for drug-related crimes. The defendants were convicted of forming an organized criminal gang involved in manufacturing and trafficking narcotics, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms. The court consulted the Grand Mufti for his religious opinion, a mandatory step in capital cases, and the verdict is subject to appeal. Authorities seized over 750kg of narcotics and raw materials, along with firearms and ammunition, and discovered two apartments used as drug laboratories. Khalifa and some defendants also received five-year prison sentences for kidnapping and assault in a separate case.

A Cairo court has sentenced Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa, 39, and 11 other defendants to death by hanging. The sentences were handed down on Saturday in connection with a large drug case. Khalifa is known for her program "Mission Impossible," which focused on security and crime. According to the state-linked Al-Ahram newspaper, the court found the defendants guilty of forming an organized criminal gang. Their activities included procuring materials for manufacturing narcotics with the intent to traffic them, as well as possessing and carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition.