A 52-year-old U.S. Navy veteran from Georgia could be handed a three-year prison sentence in Dubai after authorities in the Arab nation found prescription medication in his suitcase and detained him for “trafficking” his own drugs.
According to The Independent, Charles Wimberly arrived in the United Arab Emirates on September 21 with prescription Cannabidiol (CBD) and Ibuprofen to treat his degenerative joint disease.
Wimberly was, however, arrested by security at the Dubai International Airport during pre-departure screening on September 27 after the medication was found in his possession. The 52-year-old’s detainment also came after he went on sightseeing activities in the Arab nation.
The embassy of the United Arab Emirates states that travelers can enter the country with medication that can last them for up to three months – provided they have the prescription. The embassy emphasizes that “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.”
It also states that controlled medication comprises “those that, if not used responsibly, can lead to addiction and have the potential to be abused by individuals.” They include narcotic and psychotropic drugs, The Independent reported.
The CEO of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling, told the news outlet that Wimberly’s situation was “every tourist’s nightmare.” “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,” Stirling said.
“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,” she added.
Wimberly was granted bail and released in the wake of his detainment. He, however, cannot return to the United States. Stirling also said Wimberly is unable to foot the “unexpected” hotel, medical, and legal bills as he waits for the outcome of his case.
Wimberly is due to undergo a “debilitating” spinal surgery in Georgia next month, and he had reportedly been keen on traveling to Dubai for holidays in September.
“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,” Wimberly told Detained in Dubai on October 14.
