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A US Navy veteran faces three years in a Dubai prison after travelling to the UAE with prescription medications in his suitcase.
Charles Wimberly, 52, from Covington, Georgia, was carrying prescription CBD and Ibuprofen to combat a degenerative joint disease when he landed in Dubai on 21 September.
Following six days of sightseeing, on 27 September, Mr Wimberly, who suffers from PTSD, was detained at Dubai International Airport for allegedly “trafficking” his own prescription medication.
Staff at airport security reportedly found prescription Ibuprofen and CBD oil belonging to the navy veteran during a pre-departure screening.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, called the circumstances “every tourist’s nightmare”.
She said: “Charles was locked up and deprived of his prescription medication as well as meds to manage his diabetes and sleep apnea causing him to suffer a diabetic episode. He’s a good man who does not partake in drugs (as evidenced in his medical history). All he wanted was one last holiday before his debilitating surgery.
“Charles had unfortunately been provided with some misinformation on the internet in respect of prescription medicine. He thought he was abiding by the law but is now facing a possible 3+ year sentence for ‘trafficking’ his own prescription meds.”
According to the embassy of the United Arab Emirates, you can bring up to a three-month supply of medication into the UAE so long as you carry the prescription.
However “all travellers carrying controlled medication into the UAE must apply for approval through the Ministry of Health (MoH) website. This should be completed before making the trip.”
Controlled medications include “those that, if not used responsibly, can lead to addiction and have the potential to be abused by individuals”, such as narcotic and psychotropic drugs.
Mr Wimberly has since been released on bail but is unable to leave the country.
Ms Stirling added that Mr Wimberly cannot afford the “unexpected” hotel, medical and legal bills while awaiting release.
On Monday, Mr Wimberly told Detained in Dubai: “My PTSD is at a very high level right now… I’m so tired of crying… I can’t stop shaking. My daughter is so upset… I feel like I’ve let everyone down.”
The veteran is scheduled for a “debilitating” spinal surgery in November at home in Georgia and had been looking forward to his September holiday in Dubai.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
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