British woman faced jail in Dubai over painkillers
A British woman who faced jailed in Dubai after traces of a banned painkiller were found in her system has been acquitted of all charges.
The Independent reports Tracy Wilkinson (44) spent two months in jail after being arrested in March as she boarded a flight home because of an irregularity in her passport. Traces of the painkiller codeine and the sedative temazepam were found in a urine sample. While codeine is common in over-the-counter medicines such as Nurofen Plus, it is forbidden in the UAE. The presence of illegal drugs in the body amounts to possession under the country\'s strict drug laws. Wilkinson took the medication before she flew to the UAE after being prescribed them by her GP in the UK. During a court hearing official medical records also revealed she had been administered the drugs by a police doctor at Dubai airport when she became agitated about a problem with her visa. Full report in The Independent