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Wednesday, 3 October 2023

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Travel and transport

Drugs

Of the 3,200 British Nationals imprisoned abroad, over a third are held for drug offences. There are concerns that a growing number of Britons, especially young people, are becoming involved in taking, carrying or dealing in drugs whilst on holiday.

Getting involved with drugs abroad: the risks

If you take drugs on holiday abroad or try to bring drugs back with you, it could cost you a lifetime in jail.

Remember that:

many countries outside the UK refuse to grant bail to those suspected of drugs offences before trial and often detain people in solitary confinement
you will get a criminal record in the UK if caught with drugs abroad
if you've been caught with drugs abroad, you're unlikely to ever be allowed to visit that country again
if you get injured or ill as a result of illicit drugs use, your holiday insurance may be invalidated and your tour operator can refuse to fly you home
in Cyprus, there is a zero tolerance policy towards drugs and possession, which usually leads to a hefty fine or even life imprisonment
in Spain, penalties are severe and sentences for carrying drugs can be up to 12 years
in Greece, possession of even small quantities of drugs can lead to lengthy prison terms and even life imprisonment
in Tunisia, possession of even a small amount of drugs could cost you a term in prison, and more serious charges may result in 20 years' imprisonment plus a fine
in Jamaica, drug offences result in large fines and mandatory prison sentences (possession of even small quantities can lead to imprisonment and prison conditions are harsh)
in Venezuela, drug carriers face minimum 10-year prison sentences in harsh conditions
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Iran and Algeria can impose the death sentence for some drugs charges

If you get involved with drugs abroad, the British Consul cannot:

get you out of jail
get you better prison conditions than are provided for locals or other nationals
give legal advice

Don't be a victim of drugs abroad

To make sure you don't become a victim of drugs abroad, you should:

pack all luggage yourself and make sure it's securely fastened
keep your luggage with you at airports and other departure points to avoid the possibility of having drugs planted in it
be aware of approaches from people at airports - even seemingly innocent requests to look after someone's possessions can lead to problems
don't carry anything through customs for someone else - if drugs are found, you will be held responsible
for similar reasons don't cross borders with people you don't know or drive across borders with unknown companions
carry a doctor's prescription for any medication you may need to avoid unnecessary delays at customs and immigration checks
be very cautious when accepting gifts from people abroad - it's easy to hide drugs in items such as trainers, cosmetics and children's toys
don't allow yourself to be persuaded or coerced into carrying drugs - it's not worth risking your life or spending seven years or even life in prison for £2,000

Visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Travel Advice pages for information on drug laws and penalties country by country.

The drugs trade also has a worldwide environmental impact. To find out more about this and its economic and social effects on local communities, visit the Tourism Concern website. Tourism Concern is a charity campaigning for ethical and fairly traded tourism.