(Kuwait City) Kuwait hanged four Pakistanis yesterday for drug trafficking and then left their bodies hanging from the gallows for public viewing.

From ArabNews.com:

A Justice Ministry statement identified the men as Mohammed Ahmed Khan, 33, Abdul-Basir Abudl-Hai Mohammed Ishaq, 50, Faz Mohammed Youssef Khan, 32, and Sayyed Modather Shah Hikmat, 26.

Criminal courts found them guilty of smuggling heroin by swallowing capsules that contained the drug. Customs officials at the Kuwait International Airport suspected them of smuggling as they entered the country on different dates in 2002 with forged passports, the ministry said.

Public hangings have been imposed for drug smugglers since 2002 as a deterrent. It’s worked to some degree. Recidivism has been eliminated.

Interestingly, the Pakistanis were arrested carrying a considerable amount of heroin which would appear to indicate that Kuwait has a problem with drug abuse and, at least, some intravenous heroin users. This would seem to be somewhat difficult in a regimented Islamic society like Kuwait. Surely, someone would notice if a friend or neighbor was strung out on smack.

On the other hand, given the normal apparel worn by Muslims, it would be easy to hide track marks and, frankly, the expressions on faces of devout followers of the religion of peace are not all that dissimilar from the look on funky junkies’ faces.

Companion at Interested-Participant.