An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death after finding them guilty in a major case involving the manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.

Khalifa, 39, is known for hosting Mission Impossible, a programme focused on security and crime. She has denied the allegations against her.

The Cairo Criminal Court ruled that the defendants were part of an organised criminal group involved in importing raw materials used to produce synthetic narcotics and preparing the drugs for distribution. The case also involved allegations of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Authorities said more than 750 kilogrammes of narcotics and drug-making materials were seized during the investigation. Two residential apartments allegedly used for producing and storing the drugs were also uncovered.

The prosecution’s case involved testimony from 20 witnesses, alongside digital and technical evidence, including messages, photographs and videos.

The court had earlier referred the death sentences to Egypt’s Grand Mufti for his opinion, a required procedure in capital cases. The Mufti’s opinion is advisory and does not determine the court’s final decision.

The wider case involved 28 defendants. While 12 received death sentences, nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment and seven were acquitted.

Khalifa and the convicted defendants have the right to appeal the ruling before Egypt’s Court of Cassation.

In a separate case, Khalifa and some of the other defendants were also sentenced to five years in prison over the kidnapping and assault of a young man.

Egypt permits the death penalty for several serious offences, including drug trafficking, terrorism and certain murder and rape offences.