India, Sept. 6 -- The television screen once made Sarah Khalifa a familiar face to Egyptian viewers. Known for presenting the crime and security programme 'Mission Impossible', the 39-year-old TV presenter now finds herself at the centre of one of Egypt's biggest drug cases after a Cairo court sentenced her and 11 other defendants to death.

The court delivered the verdict on Saturday after authorities linked the group to an organised operation involving the import of drug-manufacturing materials, synthetic narcotics and illegal weapons. Investigators said they seized more than 750kg of narcotics and raw materials, while two residential properties allegedly served as laboratories for producing drugs.

The ruling remains subject to appeal,...