The countries you don't want to bring certain everyday drugs and medication into

Doing so could land you in serious trouble with the local authorities

Did you know – medications that are commonplace in the UK are strictly banned in countries abroad.

Some legal drugs are even illegal to fly over certain countries with and they could get you into serious trouble once you land, reports the Bristol Post.

In a startling case, 33-year-old Laura Plummer was held in prison for carrying a prescription painkiller – Tramadol – in her luggage.

The holidaymaker from Hull had travelled to Egypt where the drug is illegal and as a consequence she now faces a jail sentence or even the death penalty.

Tramadol had been banned in Egypt in 2015 after it started being used as a cheap heroin substitute.

Anyone bringing the drug into the country needs to tell the Egyptian Embassy in London, or get a note from their GP.

However, Egypt is not the only country that has strict regulations and laws around what over-the-counter medicines sold in the UK can and can’t be taken there.

Here are some of the countries where you might need to be careful taking medicine.

Zambia

If you are travelling to or through Zambia then be careful to check what meds you are taking with you.

The Southern African country does not allow Benylin cough syrup to be brought past its borders.

This is because it contains an ingredient called diphenhydramine - a mild sedative - making it illegal, said travel expert Simon Calder on This Morning.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE can be strict about what medication is allowed through their borders.

Dubai is a popular holiday destination for people looking for sun, sea and five-star luxury.

But be warned, some prescribed and over the counter medicines from the UK such as diazepam, tramadol and codeine are controlled substances in the Emirates.

These are not allowed into the UAE without permission from the country's Ministry of Health and a doctor's prescription.

Holidaymakers who don't get permission could be prosecuted.

China

Tourists should always carry a doctor's note with any personal medicine they have with them to prove why they need it.

Customs officials will verify if the amount of medicine you have on you is appropriate for the length of time you are in the country.

Japan

Check what meds you can take to Japan before travelling.

Do your homework on what medicines you are allowed to take into the country before you visit Japan.

Anything you bring into the country is considered an import so they have stricter rules which apply in particular to personal medication.

One example of this is Vicks Inhaler which is a banned in Japan.

The nasal congestion spray contains pseudoephedrine which is a controlled substance there.

Some kinds of medication for ADHD are also banned in Japan.

Qatar

The Gulf state could welcome thousands of Brits when it hosts the World Cup in 2022.

But many over the counter medicines such as cold and cough remedies are controlled substances and must be accompanied by a prescription.

Some sleeping pills, painkillers and anti-depressants are completely banned here.

Saudi Arabia

Tourists should be wary of taking any medicine without a doctor's note to Saudi Arabia.

Around 25,000 British Muslims made the pilgrimage to the holy site of Mecca in 2015.

Any medication needs to be accompanied by either a recent medical report or a doctor's prescription.

Thailand

In the South-East Asian country many common prescription drugs including codeine, morphine and fentanyl require a permit in Thailand.

Be careful, if you don't have one you could face prison.

Singapore

Sleeping pills, anti-anxiety pills and painkillers all require a licence in Singapore.

Getting a licence requires a doctor's note, a copy of your flight details and a copy of your passport.

Indonesia

Many prescription medicine such as codeine, sleeping pills and treatments for ADHD are illegal.

Turkey

If you need to take medication with you then you must notify authorities.

Turkey is a popular family destination for many in the UK but be careful what pills you pack before travelling there.

If you have prescription medication you must have a doctor's note or prescription which can be sent to the Turkish tourism office for translation.

Costa Rica

Visitors to the popular Central American country must only take enough medication for the length of their stay, with a doctor's note to say that this is the right amount.

Source: Bath Chronicle, Bronwen Weatherby, Sam Petherick, November 19, 2017

⚑ | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com.

Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

Comments

China executes 11 members of gang who ran billion-dollar criminal empire in Myanmar

China has executed 11 members of the notorious Ming family criminal gang, who ran mafia-like scam centers in Myanmar and killed workers who tried to escape, Chinese state media reported on Thursday. The Ming family was one of the so-called 4 families of northern Myanmar — crime syndicates accused of running hundreds of compounds dealing in internet fraud, prostitution and drug production, and whose members held prominent positions in the local government and militia aligned with Myanmar’s ruling junta.

Iraq executes a former senior officer under Saddam for the 1980 killing of a Shiite cleric

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq announced on Monday that a high-level security officer during the rule of Saddam Hussein has been hanged for his involvement in the 1980 killing of a prominent Shiite cleric. The National Security Service said that Saadoun Sabri al-Qaisi, who held the rank of major general under Saddam and was arrested last year, was convicted of “grave crimes against humanity,” including the killing of prominent Iraqi Shiite cleric Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, members of the al-Hakim family, and other civilians.

Georgia parole board suspends scheduled execution of Cobb County death row prisoner

The execution of a Georgia man scheduled for Wednesday has been suspended as the State Board of Pardons and Paroles considers a clemency application. Stacey Humphreys, 52, would have been the state's first execution in 2025. As of December 16, 2025, Georgia has carried out zero executions in 2025. The state last executed an inmate in January 2020, followed by a pause due to COVID-19. Executions resumed in 2024, but none have occurred this year until now. Humphreys had been sentenced to death for the 2003 killings of 33-year-old Cyndi Williams and 21-year-old Lori Brown, who were fatally shot at the real estate office where they worked.

Florida | Man convicted of leaving girl to be eaten by gators avoids death penalty

After about 4 hours of deliberations, jurors on Friday recommended Harrel Braddy should be sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 killing of 5-year-old Quantisha Maycock. A South Florida man who dropped off a 5-year-old child in the Everglades to be eaten alive by gators nearly 3 decades ago was given a second chance at life as jurors recommended he should spend the rest of his life behind bars instead of being sent to death row. After about four hours of deliberations, jurors on Friday recommended Harrel Braddy should be sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 killing of 5-year-old Quantisha Maycock.

Oklahoma board recommends clemency for inmate set to be executed next week

A voting board in Oklahoma decided Wednesday to recommend clemency for Tremane Wood, a death row inmate who is scheduled to receive a lethal injection next week at the state penitentiary in McAlester. Wood, 46, faces execution for his conviction in the 2001 murder of Ronnie Wipf, a migrant farmworker, at an Oklahoma City hotel on New Year's Eve, court records show. The recommendation was decided in a 3-2 vote by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, consisting of five members appointed by either the governor or the state's top judicial official, according to CBS News affiliate KWTV. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Sitt will consider the recommendation as he weighs whether to grant or deny Wood's clemency request, which would mean sparing him from execution and reducing his sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Federal Judge Rules Out Death Penalty for Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealth CEO Killing

NEW YORK — A federal judge has dismissed two charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, effectively removing the possibility of the death penalty in the high-profile case. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett ruled Friday that the murder charge through use of a firearm — the only count that could have carried a capital sentence — was legally incompatible with the remaining interstate stalking charges against Mangione.

California | Convicted killer Scott Peterson keeps swinging in court — but expert says he’s not going anywhere but his cell

More than two decades after Laci Peterson vanished from her Modesto, California, home, the murder case that captivated the nation continues to draw legal challenges, public debate and renewed attention. As the year comes to a close, Scott Peterson, convicted in 2004 of murdering his pregnant wife and their unborn son Conner, remains behind bars, serving life without the possibility of parole. His wife disappeared on Christmas Eve in 2002, and a few months later, the remains of Laci and Conner were found in the San Francisco Bay.

Florida's second execution of 2026 scheduled for February

Florida’s second execution of 2026, a man convicted of killing a grocery story owner, will take place in February. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant Jan. 23 for Melvin Trotter, 65, to die by lethal injection Feb. 24. Florida's first execution will take place just a few weeks earlier when Ronald Palmer Heath is set to die Feb. 10. Trotter was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1987 for strangling and stabbing Virgie Langford a year earlier in Palmetto.

China executes another four members of powerful Myanmar-based crime family

China has executed another four members of a powerful Myanmar-based crime family that oversaw 41 pig butchering scam* compounds across Southeast Asia. The executed individuals were members of the Bai family, a particularly powerful gang that ruled the Laukkai district and helped transform it into a hub for casinos, trafficking, scam compounds, and prostitution. China’s Supreme People’s Court approved the executions after 21 members were charged with homicide, kidnapping, extortion, operating a fraudulent casino, organizing illegal border crossings, and forced prostitution. The court said the Bai family made over $4 billion across its enterprise and killed six Chinese citizens.

The US reporter who has witnessed 14 executions: ‘People need to know what it looks like’

South Carolina-based journalist Jeffrey Collins observed back-to-back executions in 2025 after the state revived the death penalty following a 13-year pause Jeffrey Collins has watched 14 men draw their final breaths. Over 25 years at the Associated Press, the South Carolina-based journalist has repeatedly served as an observer inside the state’s execution chamber, watching from feet away as prison officials kill men who were sentenced to capital punishment. South Carolina has recently kept him unusually busy, with seven back-to-back executions in 14 months.

Death Penalty News

Search This Blog