From television to the death penalty, presenter Sarah Khalifa faces charges of running a drug cartel

Sarah Khalifa, one of Egypt’s well-known television presenters, has been sentenced to death along with 11 other people by an Egyptian court. The case concerns the production and trafficking of narcotic substances.

The 39-year-old became known for presenting the television programme “Mission Impossible”, which focused mainly on security and crime topics.

According to Egypt’s state media, the defendants were found guilty of forming an organized criminal group, which allegedly supplied substances and materials for the production of synthetic drugs with the aim of distributing them, The Guardian reports. The criminal case file also includes charges of illegal possession of weapons and ammunition.

During the investigation, authorities seized over 750 kilograms of narcotic substances and raw materials. In two apartments, spaces suspected of being adapted as drug production laboratories were also discovered, while the operation also led to the discovery of unlicensed weapons and ammunition.

Before the sentence was announced, the court sought the religious opinion of Egypt’s Grand Mufti, a mandatory step under Egyptian law in cases where the death penalty may be imposed. However, the ruling has not yet become final and can be appealed.

Besides her television work, Khalifa owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that organizes events and parties.

In a separate proceeding linked to the same case file, the presenter and several other defendants have been sentenced to five years in prison. This sentence relates to charges of kidnapping and assault against a young man.

Egyptian legislation provides for the death penalty for some of the most serious criminal offenses, including premeditated murder, terrorism, certain cases of rape and drug trafficking.

Data from the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms show that during 2025, 541 death sentence rulings were handed down in Egypt.