Egyptian crime TV presenter, 39, is among 12 sentenced to death for manufacturing and trafficking drugs

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 16:34 EDT, 5 September 2026 | Updated: 16:42 EDT, 5 September 2026 An Egyptian television presenter has been sentenced to death along with 11 others for manufacturing and trafficking drugs.Sarah Khalifa is best known for featuring on Mission Impossible, an Egyptian programme dealing with issues of security and crime, and boasts 2.5million Instagram followers. But on Saturday the 39-year-old is reported to have been sentenced to 'death by hanging' at a Cairo court for her role in an organised crime gang. State-linked newspaper Al-Ahram reported that Khalifa and 11 other defendants have been sentenced 'on charges of forming an organised criminal gang specialised in producing materials used in manufacturing narcotics, with the intent to traffic them, and possessing and carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition.'Egyptian authorities were said to have seized more than 750kg worth of narcotics and raw materials. They also discovered two apartments used as laboratories, as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The dozen defendants were charged with 'manufacturing synthetic drugs with the intent to traffic them, by importing the materials used in manufacturing from abroad', according to state media. The guilty verdict was delivered this week after the Grand Mufti of Egypt was consulted for his religious opinion in a procedure required by Egyptian law in capital cases. The verdict is subject to appeal. Egyptian television presenter Sara Khalifa is reported to have been sentenced to 'death by hanging' for her role in an organised crime gang The 39-year-old fronts her own Egyptian television programme and boasts more than 2.5million Instagram followers Khalifa, who owns a production company, was also sentenced to five years in prison over a case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young manProduction company owner Khalifa was also sentenced alongside others to five years in prison over a separate case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man. Egypt applies the death penalty for premeditated murder, terrorism, some rape offences and drug trafficking.Some 541 death sentences were issues in the country last year, according to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms.