Emirates air pill rules?

[proton]

Been with them before with drugs on their naughty list (codeine and tramadol) but I read they tightened up in 2018. What are the chances of getting collared with a few pills during transit? they have a long list of banned stuff unless you have a prescription. I have had, but not at the moment. They claim to have hi tech devices which ID naught pills, which I doubt.

[2long]

I flew with them several times recently and had a few Zopiclone on me. No problem.

[Sigmund]

I would not chance it during the transit in Dubaï.

[sungod]

Most likely not up to the airline, more to do with the laws of the country you are transiting/traveling too. It's a banned substance in Dubai.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-migration-drugs-idUSKBN1DE092

[Sigmund]

Not to forget that such substances can also pose a problem in Thailand.

[proton]

4 minutes ago, sungod said:

Most likely not up to the airline, more to do with the laws of the country you are transiting/traveling too. It's a banned substance in Dubai.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-migration-drugs-idUSKBN1DE092

24 years in jail for 20 tablets of tramadol, you get less than than for murder in most countries. Better swallow them first!

[proton]

Just now, Sigmund said:

Not to forget that such substances can also pose a problem in Thailand.

Only codeine 

[KhunBENQ]

A "few pills" without prescription, no original package and Tramadol?
I would sh.t my pants.

Edited August 28, 2023 by KhunBENQ

[proton]

10 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

A "few pills" without prescription, no original package and Tramadol?
I would sh.t my pants.

Not if you had already them- can cause constipation ????

[VBF]

I realise it doesn't reply to the actual question about "high-tech devices", but on my last 2 trips, I've flown LGW-DXB-BKK and back, going through security at all 3 airports. I have to take 2 months worth of heart medication (6 pills / day) for which I do have prescriptions.  I take these in my hand-carry as losing them could literally be fatal!

 

My point is that i've never been approached / stopped anywhere on my journeys - they wouldn't know i have prescriptions unless they stopped me. So whilst I'm not suggesting any particular course of action to the OP, the risk of getting into trouble does seem minimal.  This is most definitely a case of "YMMV" ????

[KannikaP]

10 minutes ago, VBF said:

I realise it doesn't reply to the actual question about "high-tech devices", but on my last 2 trips, I've flown LGW-DXB-BKK and back, going through security at all 3 airports. I have to take 2 months worth of heart medication (6 pills / day) for which I do have prescriptions.  I take these in my hand-carry as losing them could literally be fatal!

 

My point is that i've never been approached / stopped anywhere on my journeys - they wouldn't know i have prescriptions unless they stopped me. So whilst I'm not suggesting any particular course of action to the OP, the risk of getting into trouble does seem minimal.  This is most definitely a case of "YMMV" ????

Same here, many times. Tramadol and Cocodomol.

[brianthainess]

Saw a YouTube blogger who entered the UK with just 2 valium pills from Thailand, he has a court appearance coming up, when they have finished going through his phone and other equipment, he made 1hr blogs every day for 18 months. 

I'll let you do the math on that, on how long that will take them. 

Why risk it, if you need the pills, visit a doctor, get a scrip.

[brianthainess]

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Same here, many times. Tramadol and Cocodomol.

Thailand doesn't have sniffer dogs yet.

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

Thailand doesn't have sniffer dogs yet.

This is about going into/through Dubai, no?

[KhunBENQ]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

Thailand doesn't have sniffer dogs yet.

Wrong. Beagles recently in the press.

They also have German shepherds on the airport premises, maybe for security only.

[brianthainess]

Just now, KannikaP said:

This is about going into/through Dubai, no?

I missread your quote "same *here* many times."

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

Wrong. Beagles recently in the press.

They also have German shepherds on the airport premises, maybe for security only.

Dogs and handlers were being trained, so maybe finished being trained by now. 

[Captain Monday]

2 hours ago, proton said:

Been with them before with drugs on their naughty list (codeine and tramadol) but I read they tightened up in 2018. What are the chances of getting collared with a few pills during transit? they have a long list of banned stuff unless you have a prescription. I have had, but not at the moment. They claim to have hi tech devices which ID naught pills, which I doubt.

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"

 

Is it really worth it? 

[proton]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"

 

Is it really worth it? 

Depends how bad the gut problem gets

[proton]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Saw a YouTube blogger who entered the UK with just 2 valium pills from Thailand, he has a court appearance coming up, when they have finished going through his phone and other equipment, he made 1hr blogs every day for 18 months. 

I'll let you do the math on that, on how long that will take them. 

Why risk it, if you need the pills, visit a doctor, get a scrip.

Hard to believe that, valium is not illegal in the UK and even with no script would it end up in a court appearance? I was stopped with valium by the Police in stricter times decades ago- just gave them back and on your way sonny. Is there a link to this?

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, VBF said:

I realise it doesn't reply to the actual question about "high-tech devices", but on my last 2 trips, I've flown LGW-DXB-BKK and back, going through security at all 3 airports. I have to take 2 months worth of heart medication (6 pills / day) for which I do have prescriptions.  I take these in my hand-carry as losing them could literally be fatal!

 

My point is that i've never been approached / stopped anywhere on my journeys - they wouldn't know i have prescriptions unless they stopped me. So whilst I'm not suggesting any particular course of action to the OP, the risk of getting into trouble does seem minimal.  This is most definitely a case of "YMMV" ????

Basically this... 

 

I travel a lot, via and to the Middle East (i.e. I enter the Middle East, not just transit, about 8 times per year).. not once have I been flagged, stopped or searched in decades. 

 

That said, travelling with pills which may be illegal in another country is always going to be a risk. 

 

I've become complacent recently and travelled with a couple of naughty sleeping pills (Lorazapam and Clonazapam) and I've just had a mental word with myself - it really isn't worth the risk. 

 

 

[Lorry]

I regularly advise clients not to transit in the Middle East,  especially in Dubai,  if they have some not completely innocent medication with them. 

The last guy carried morphine and a benzodiazepine.

He did have a prescription,  but do you really want a discussion with some customs officer in XYZ that there is a dot missing or that they don't accept prescriptions from this particular country or that the prescription cannot be older than 3 days or ...

No thank you. 

He flew Bangkok - Europe non-stop.

[brianthainess]

4 hours ago, proton said:

Hard to believe that, valium is not illegal in the UK and even with no script would it end up in a court appearance? I was stopped with valium by the Police in stricter times decades ago- just gave them back and on your way sonny. Is there a link to this?

Then look at flogging a dead horse, he also had other stuff that customs didn't like but *importing* the valium was illegal

[Captain Monday]

12 hours ago, proton said:

Depends how bad the gut problem gets

I have never understood the criminal mind. 

[proton]

12 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Then look at flogging a dead horse, he also had other stuff that customs didn't like but *importing* the valium was illegal

Vlogging a dead horse the nutter from Norwich, got pulled for skulls and bones in his luggage, the valium was the added bonus, said he had a court appearance but never mentioned it again. Note to self, leave skulls and bones at home! Hard to believe he's only 57! The worst part is noticing no longer a ticket office at the bus station, machines only.

[brianthainess]

40 minutes ago, proton said:

the valium was the added bonus,

Yes 'coz ILLIGAL to import just 2 pills.

[DFPhuket]

I suspect that half of the people who are flying are carry some reasonable amount of pills, whether it be for hypertension, birth control, or just in case they get a headache. On an x-ray machine these must all look alike.

 

Unless an airport has sniffer dogs for specific drugs, or there is something else that looks "bad" in the luggage and causes a search, I can't see how this could be effectively policed. I've taken hundreds of international flights all over the world in the past 3 decades. Never once have I been questioned about medicine I'm carrying. My quantities always roughly match the length of my trip.  

[FlorC]

What about pills in the checked in luggage ? They don't check that again during a layover in Dubai or elsewhere. It's all in those airplane containers that go from one plane to the other. Just carry on bags will be checked again.

[RocketDog]

23 hours ago, proton said:

Hard to believe that, valium is not illegal in the UK and even with no script would it end up in a court appearance? I was stopped with valium by the Police in stricter times decades ago- just gave them back and on your way sonny. Is there a link to this?

Ah, now I understand where the Stones' 'Mother's Little Helper' came from.

[richard_smith237]

39 minutes ago, FlorC said:

What about pills in the checked in luggage ? They don't check that again during a layover in Dubai or elsewhere. It's all in those airplane containers that go from one plane to the other. Just carry on bags will be checked again.

Layover <24 hours - the baggage goes through automatically to final destination.

Stopover >24 hours - the baggage must be collected in Dubai.

 

When the baggage is still processed (air-side) because not everyones bag in that 'airplane' container is destined for the same final destination. 

 

Is the 'transit baggage' checked ? - I'm not sure if it goes through X-rays or Sniffer dogs etc.. but I very much doubt either can pick up a couple of Codeine tablets. 

 

I suspect the ONLY way something like this (Codeine medication for example) is going to get picked up is IF upon exiting customs with your baggage and you are searched fully and they find the medication by hand.