geeta (chief accountant) 20 January 2011

A very serious warning .. travel to UAE and other Gulf count

Dear Friends,

Yesterday only I came to know of a case from a friend of mine which is very scary. One of his friends was traveling to UK via Dubai. Unfortunately he was carrying a packet of Khas Khas which is a commonly used spice in some Indian curries and sweets. Khas Khas is also known as poppy seed which can be sprouted to grow narcotics (afeem etc.).

This innocent person did not know that recently the laws in UAE and other Gulf countries have been revised and carrying Khas Khas is punishable with minimum 20 years of imprisonment or even worse with death penalty. Currently, the person is in a jail in Dubai for the last two weeks. His friends are frantically trying hard for his release but are finding that this has become a very very serious case. Lawyers are asking huge fees amounting to AED 100,000 even to appear in the court to plead for his innocence.

Please forward this email to all you know specially in India. They should know the seriousness of this matter and should never ever carry even minutest quantities of the following items when traveling to Gulf countries:

1. Khas Khas whether raw, roasted or cooked.
2. Paan
3. Beetle nut (supari and its products, e.g. Paan Parag etc.)

The penalties are very severe and it could destroy the life of an innocent person.

I appeal you to create the awareness by forwarding this Message to all you know.

Reply Follow

4 Replies

JAYESH (Sr. Executive HR.) 20 January 2011

Thank you Geetaji...

niranjan (civil practice) 20 January 2011

I have been reading in news papers that when you travel out of country you should be well informed of the rules of that country where you are travelling.It could be better if there is any such site .thanks.

M V Gupta (Advocate) 21 January 2011

The accused person was a transit passenger and as such could not have attracted the laws of UAE unless he had disembarked at the local air port with his luggage claimed. He should seek the help of the Indian embassy to defend him in the Court at UAE.

(Guest)

YOU MAY KINDLY NOTE THAT.

1.IT IS A FACT THAT THE INDIAN CITIZENS TRAVELLING ABROAD ARE NOT AWARE OF LOCAL LAWS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES. LANGUAGE PROBLEM IS ALSO THERE.AND VERY LITTLE HELP IS AVAILABLE FROM INDIAN GOVT .OFFICES ABROAD.

2THERE IS A NEED TO IMPROVE THE PROCEDURE AND INDIANS GOING ABROAD SHOULD BE MANDATORILY MADE TO REPORT THE INDIAN GOVT OFFICES IN INDIA BEFORE THERE DEPARTURE AND ALSO ON ARRIVAL IN FORIEGN COUNTRY ,ALL INDIANS SHOULD MANDATORILY REPORT INDIAN GOVT OFFICE WITH ALL THEIR PASSPORT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS WHICH SHOULD BE DULY STAMPED AND SURRENDERED IN INDIAN GOVT OFFICE ABROAD AND TEMPORARY OTHER IDENTITY DOCUMENT SHOULD BE ISSUED TO THEM TILL THEY RETURN TO HOME COUNTRY THIS WILL PREVENT MISUSE AND DUPLICATION OF INDIAN PASSPORT BY CRIMINAL MINDED FOREIGN EMPLOYERS WHO ARE HOLDING PASSPORTS OF INDIAN EMPLOYEES AND PREVENTING THEM TO RETURN TO INDIA IN CASE OF ANY DISPUTE REGARDING NON PAYMENT OF SALARY OR OTHER DUES OF INDIAN EMPLOYEES ABROAD TAKES PLACE.

3. AS A PROCEDURE ,,ALL INDIAN CITIZENS GOING ABROAD SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF LOCAL LAWS OF THAT COUNTRY.

4.IT MAY STOP MISUSE OF INDIAN PASSPORT BY FOREIGN EMPLOYERS WHO ARE TAKING THE CUSTODY OF INDIAN PASSPORTS OF INDIAN EMPLOYEES AND HARASSING THE INDIAN EMPLOYEES AND FORCE THEM TO WORK ON LESSER PAY THAN AGREED IN INDIA.KINDLY NOTE THAT SALARY AGREEMENTS THOUGH REGISTERED IN INDIA, HAVE NO VALUE UNLESS THE SAME SALARY AGREEMENT IS REGISTERED AGAIN ABROAD AS PER THE LOCAL LAWS OF THAT COUNTRY.

5.IN THE GIVEN CASE THE SAID PERSON IS ARRESTED BY FOREIGN GOVT AND IS FACING HARDSHIPS THERE THOUGH INNOCENT.HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IS ALSO FACING HARDSHIPS AND MENTAL TENSION AND HARASSMENT. THIS MATTER NEEDS LEGAL HELP FROM THE GOVT AUTHORITIES. THE MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN UP SERIOUSLY AND URGENTLY WITH TOP GOVT AUTHORITIES OTHERWISE THE SAID PERSON WILL FACE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES AND PUNISHMENT AS PER LOCAL LAWS OF SAID COUNTRY.

6.THE EXACT DETAILS OF NAME AND ADDRESS AND OTHER EXACT DETAILS OF FACTS OF THE CASE SHOULD BE GIVEN SO THAT FURTHER DETAILED REPLY CAN BE GIVEN.

THIS IS JUST SUGGESTION IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PERSON CONCERNED AND FOR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF CONCERNED GOVT AUTHORITIES AND ELECTED MEMBERS AND LAW MAKERS FOR SAFETY OF ALL INDIAN CITIZENS GOING ABROAD.GOOD LUCK.

WITH BEST REGARDS TO ALL CONCERNED.