The Foreign Office has issued a warning for travellers heading to the United Arab Emirates after a woman escaped a predicted four-year jail sentence for taking painkillers.
According to The Guardian, osteopath Tracy Wilkinson spent eight weeks in prison after being found to have traces of codeine and Temazepam in her system when she was detained on arrival in the country.
She had reportedly been arrested because of “irregularities” in her passport.
Codeine is reportedly illegal in the UAE unless patients can prove it was obtained on prescription.
The newspaper quotes a Foreign Office spokesman as saying that advice has been changed since the case. It now states: “If you are taking medicine prescribed or obtained in the UK for use in the UAE, and you have any doubts as to whether it is approved for use, you should consult the UAE authorities.”
Though Mrs Wilkinson was freed yesterday, there is still a possibility that the prosecutors will appeal against the verdict. The Guardian reports that 650,000 UK tourists visit the UAE each year.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd www.newsfromabroad.com
