A passenger is targeted by Qatari customs officers during baggage screening at Doha Airport. Officers found several hundred grams of marijuana and painkillers in his suitcase. Because the Gulf Emirates has a zero-tolerance policy on drugs, the man faces a long prison sentence.
World Cup hosts Qatar have announced the first find of drugs during the tournament, including tramadol, a painkiller widely used in football. Customs officials at Doha’s Hamad International Airport said on Twitter that they had “frustrated the smuggling” of 1990 tramadol tablets and 464.5 grams of hashish. The illegal substances were found when customs officials checked the luggage of a suspected passenger.
The authorities initially did not provide information on the nationality of the passenger; according to an official who wished to remain anonymous, the passenger must appear in court. The Gulf Emirate has strict laws regarding drug possession. They provide for long prison sentences, heavy fines and deportation. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) plans to add tramadol, an addictive synthetic opiate, to its banned list from 2024. It’s already banned in cycling.
Up until a few hours before the start of the opening game of the World Cup between hosts Qatar and Ecuador, there had also been a struggle over the use of alcohol around the stadiums. Alcohol is not completely banned in Qatar, but is only served to a very limited extent, for example in bars or restaurants of certain hotels. Foreigners who have a residence permit can also buy it in a shop, but must be older than 21 and need a permit to do so. Contrary to original plans, FIFA finally announced under pressure from the hosts that no alcohol could be served in or around the stadiums. According to reports in the English “Times”, the royal family of the emirate had previously announced that the beer service would not be organized so publicly.
(This article was first published on Monday, November 21, 2022.)
