Page 4 | to hope the Foreign Office don't waste any time on Laura Plummer...

PiffleandWiffle · 2017-12-26T22:09:42+00:00

She was stupid enough to smuggle drugs into a country against their laws, got caught & got sentenced. [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42483135 BBC Link]] Cue the predictable wailing & cries of "it's not fair" from the family! Personally, I'd rather the Foreign Office spent it's time trying to help people who are genuinely in trouble abroad rather than --idiots-- drug smugglers....

MissEliza · 27/12/2017 00:34

She's been screwed. There's nothing the British government can do except warn others. I have to say the Egyptians are becoming real PITA about this stuff. When we passed through Cairo Airport this year we went through five security checks and dh's prescription medicines were scrutinised again and again. Of course 300 of anything (in this woman's case) will raise alarm bells!

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 00:48

She did something extremely stupid but she’s still a British citizen.

Well, I won’t be volunteering to dig her out of prison Wooden Horse style, “British citizen” or not.

Bloody thick as a rock citizen, more like.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 27/12/2017 00:51

She’s not been screwed, she’s merely been caught out.

She knowingly took medication not prescribed to her to a foreign country. It was disguised so it wasn’t exactly innocent. There is a growing school of thought that believes she did it every time she went out there.

She’s damn lucky they didn’t do her for trafficking.

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 00:51

I have to admit, it’s never occured to me to check the legality of the drugs I take abroad. And I say this after just calling the Hull wifie thick as a rock.

Luckily, I’ve never attempted to smuggle bring in 300 of anything, prescribed or otherwise.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 27/12/2017 00:56

The local press in her home town have said she was given the drugs by a colleague who got them on prescription

Which is illegal in the UK. Tramadol is a class C drug and is only legal on prescription for the person they were prescribed to. She and the colleague had already committed an offence before she left the UK.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 27/12/2017 00:58

I have to say the Egyptians are becoming real PITA about this stuff. When we passed through Cairo Airport this year we went through five security checks and dh's prescription medicines were scrutinised again and again

Now why do you think that might be?

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 01:00

She and the colleague had already committed an offence before she left the UK.

Somebody needs to tell her MP and her sister that.

According to the sis, the evil ol’ Egyptians have put her in jail for “being kind”.

mistyweather · 27/12/2017 01:01

Yanbu

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/12/2017 01:01

But butchy, I bet anything you've taken is clearly marked by the pharmacy as being for use by you or the person you are travelling with and in a quantity proportionate to the length of your stay?

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 01:08

But butchy, I bet anything you've taken is clearly marked by the pharmacy as being for use by you or the person you are travelling with and in a quantity proportionate to the length of your stay?

Yes...

With the possible exception of my late mother’s (tiny) supply of codeine. Which I will obviously have scarfed completely by the time I go home.

And I also use topical minoxidil (for hair loss) in proportionate amounts which is available w/o prescription but is technically still a drug.

Oh Christ, maybe I should avoid Egypt! 😱

MidniteScribbler · 27/12/2017 01:11

I have to say the Egyptians are becoming real PITA about this stuff. When we passed through Cairo Airport this year we went through five security checks and dh's prescription medicines were scrutinised again and again

I think it's something you have to be aware of when you travel. I had to travel around with a fair bit of prescription medication a while ago as I was going to be travelling for three months. I made sure I had the prescription for each one, plus a certified letter from my doctor stating what each medication was for and why I had the quantity I had. I fronted up to customs each time and said 'this is what I have, and here's my letter' and never once had a problem.

Even now, I still go to the GP and get a prescription for all of the over the counter medications I choose to travel with (gastro pills, ibuprofen, ranitidine, etc) and keep it in my travel bag. It's always better to cover yourself when travelling through foreign borders.

And nearly everyone has access to the internet these days. Surely before you travel anywhere, you check what the customs laws are for where you are planning on travelling to so that you make sure your baggage complies?

juliesaway · 27/12/2017 01:13

Tramadol is a narcotic opioid drug. She’s upset as she was caught. She’s lucky not to be done for trafficking. Why her MP and the foreign office are involved is bizarre. She’s committed a crime before leaving the UK. Very good reason this stuff is controlled. Even the labels on narcotic painkillers like this often clearly state that possession without a prescription is a criminal offence.

DreamyMcDreamy · 27/12/2017 01:14

Saying that I would hope that the British Embassy helps anyone in need abroad. It can be a scary place. Should it refuse to help pissed up people who get locked up? Yes I know it’s not illegal but it’s still a bad judgement

See, to me, I'm agreeing with you on that it can be a scary place. Who would go abroad though on both these counts (the tramadol one in the news, and your example of helping people who get pissed) without knowing the local laws?
You say "yes I know it's not illegal." Well, that surely depends on where you're headed, as some countries yes it is illegal to be "pissed up" and you'd find yourself in big trouble too!

MissEliza · 27/12/2017 01:15

Why do I think that might be? Egyptians are really pissed off at the hard stance taken by the British government about airport security and want to make life difficult. We almost missed our plane because of how long they scrutinised dh's box of cholesterol medicine.

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 01:18

And nearly everyone has access to the internet these days. Surely before you travel anywhere, you check what the customs laws are for where you are planning on travelling to so that you make sure your baggage complies?

I travel a fair bit and this has never occured to me (it has now!).

To be sure, I only take boring shit like asthma meds (prescribed), and non prescribed paracetemol, ibuprofen, topical and a hair loss “med” which is technically a potassium channel opener so DRUG.

And obviously only in sensible amounts.

But I’ve never checked whether they comply with custom laws for a particular country because the thought never crossed my mind.

My bad (obv).

DreamyMcDreamy · 27/12/2017 01:20

She knowingly took medication not prescribed to her to a foreign country. It was disguised so it wasn’t exactly innocent

If that's the case, why would you disguise something if you thought what you were doing was OK? On some level she must have known.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/12/2017 01:32

Last time we travelled DH had antidepressants plus stuff for a bladder issue, dss were both on high doses of roaccutane (not even available from a normal pharmac) plus antibiotics and then your normal first aid stuff such as paracetamol and brufen. Case was rattling :). I did check before we left though and it was Spain and i made sure all the boxes had the appropriate stickers.

Graphista · 27/12/2017 01:56

I also disagree they're being a "pita" again just because uk systems are lax doesn't mean theirs are too strict.

RavingRoo · 27/12/2017 01:59

She knew exactly what she was doing. I don’t buy her being an idiot at all.

Lindibop · 27/12/2017 02:28

I had to travel last year and one of the cheapest options was through Dubai, but I wasn’t prepared to take the risk due to my own medication. People need to consider the outcomes before they do something silly

100's of thousands of people manage to visit Dubai with medication on the prohibited drugs list. In fact I regularly go to Dubai to collect my sons prohibited drug thats not available where we live due to the cost. The Dr gives me a copy of the prescription as does the pharmacist once they've dispensed the meds. Its not a problem at all.

I also have relatives who visit and transit through Dubai with drugs on the prohibited list. Again its not a problem.

There's a very good UAE portal that explains how to be in Dubai with your medication.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 27/12/2017 02:41

I always take a small amount of over the counter medication with me when we go on holiday - Imodium, paracetamol etc. We've got some "paracetamol and codeine" tablets but couldn't take them to Greece this year as they are illegal there. It takes seconds to check on the Internet.

You can't get hold of 300 Tramadol in thus country unless you do so by dodgy means. I have no doubt she knew what she was doing. I presume Tramadol has a street value in Egypt? If so, given the amount involved, she should be thanking her lucky stars she only got 3 years.

CrazyDaze1 · 27/12/2017 02:52

For the people who’ve posted that they’ve had “paracetamol and codeine” tablets:

Please be aware that codeine (derived from cocaine) is banned in the United States.....please don’t bring it in to the USA. There are often ‘sniffer’ dogs patrolling the international baggage and customs departure areas in US airports.

It’s not worth the risk.

Lucylululu · 27/12/2017 03:08

Wow. Never fails to amaze me how much joy Mumsnetters get out of the suffering others. She was ignorant, yes. An idiot, yes. Does she deserve to be heavily beaten regularly in squalid conditions? I personally don't think so but then I don't cackle with glee from up on my pedestal when I see others suffering like I imagine most Mumsnetters dom

juliesaway · 27/12/2017 03:12

I don’t think anyone is suggesting she’s been or will be beaten.

Rebeccaslicker · 27/12/2017 03:15

And yet you still post here, Lucy?

I've never taken tramadol, but DF was prescribed it after his knee replacement operations. Both times he stopped taking it after a week and coped with ibuprofen (and a lot of swearing) because he didn't like how strong it was and how it made him feel. He was horrified when various friends told him he shouldn't have thrown it away as he could have sold it for a fair bit.