UK group warns travellers on banned drugs

DUBAI - In view of the UAE’s zero tolerance policy towards consumption and possession of banned drugs, a UK-based organisation has cautioned all British and European travellers to or going through Dubai and other emirates of the UAE to ensure they are completely free of any substances prohibited by the country.

By Preeti Kannan (Staff Reporter)

Published: Sun 10 Feb 2008, 7:44 PM

Last updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 5:36 PM

Fair Trials International, a legal charity organisation, issued the travel advisory following the four-year prison sentence to one of its clients, a Briton, for possessing 0.003 gram of cannabis in Dubai.

The organisation, which has helped appoint lawyers for at least six British nationals in the UAE since 2005, has cautioned travellers and also published a comprehensive list of banned pharmaceuticals on its web site.

Amanda Cumberland, Head of Research and Campaign at Fair Trials International, told Khaleej Times over the phone from the UK, “We have issued this warning as we have seen a sharp increase in the cases of travellers, who have been sentenced to prison terms, in the last 18 months. The purpose is not to discourage travellers to Dubai or the UAE.”

She added, “Many are not aware that common medications that can be bought in the UK over the counter are prohibited in the UAE. We want people to be aware that they need to be careful. If they are travelling with prohibited medications, they need to be sure they are carrying prescriptions.”

The web site has highlighted cases of six persons, all from the UK, which Fair Trials International has handled from 2005 to January 16 this year.

“We are not warning them against travelling to the UAE or Dubai. We just want them to take necessary precautions,” Cumberland said.

The organisation’s chief executive, Catherine Wolthuizen, observed that authorities in the UAE were using highly sensitive new equipment to conduct extremely thorough searches on travellers. “If they find any amount, no matter how minute, it will be enough to attract stringent penalties. What many travellers may not realise is that they can be deemed to be in possession of such banned substances if they can be detected in their urine or bloodstream, or even in small amounts on their person,” she was quoted on the web site.