A British tourist caught trying to smuggle cocaine, hashish and hundreds of vaping devices filled with cannabidiol into the UAE has lost an appeal against her 10-year jail term.
The 31-year-old was arrested after customs officers discovered the haul of illegal substances in her possession upon her arrival at Dubai International Airport last April.
She was found to be carrying a plastic box containing 1.4kg of cocaine and another 6.3g of hashish.
Officials also seized 307 vape pods containing cannabidiol – widely referred to as CBD – a component of marijuana illegal in the UAE.
Her arrest came after Dubai's police and customs officers revealed 97 people were arrested in the first three months of last year – up from just two in the year previous – for smoking CBD through vaping devices.
Brig Eid Thani Hareb said at the time that CBD is illegal in the Emirates and is treated the same as cannabis, marijuana and other drugs.
The minimum sentence for possession is two years, but the penalties for smuggling larger quantities are often 10 years or more.
Last September, the UK Foreign Office reminded travellers they would face prosecution if they brought CBD into the Emirates.
The British woman was convicted of drug smuggling charges at Dubai Criminal Court in July.
Defence lawyer Saeed Matar argued she was unaware that CBD was outlawed in the UAE and had made no attempt to hide it.
“She did not even know they were filled with CBD oil or else she would have tried to hide them more professionally,” the lawyer said.
The sentence was upheld by Dubai Court of Appeal.
She will deported after serving her jail term and must also pay a Dh50,000 fine.
