Drugs

[crewmeal]

I have to say he's a really attractive looking guy. No wonder he has a wife and a string of girlfriends that will continue his lifestyle of wealth beauty and social position. Perhaps he's one of these guys that waves goodbye in departures then races around to arrivals to sus out the talent arriving from Europe. This happens a lot in Turkey.

[Major Thom]

Interesting to see that according to European News this woman has now had her case upgraded to the high courts. I wonder if Egypt realises the problem with Tramadol is due to lack of education on drug abuse by the local people, until they get a grip on the extremely poor education standards they will never expand as a Country. It's not just Drug education its all round education that desperately needs improving. I know that Westerners know this its just they do not get involved too much because we have the education to let them get on with it and not cause waves. I remember once and I cannot remember where I was but someone was saying there were educated people in Egypt, personally myself I never came across it in Luxor, so the educated must live in the urban spread known as Cairo. I imaging though that even there the standard is not as good as the Western World or as high. Again I never came across it. I remember around 12 years ago a large project was on the go in Luxor, there were lovely models laid out how the project would look. Everybody was really excited, but to me there were many faults, access faults, floor covering faults and the fact none slip ceramics were not use causing a problem for tourists. The following year carpets had been put down to stop accidents from falls and slips on the ramps making the beautiful surrounds look scruffy. Many rooms were dark and come across being dingy, staff access to different areas had pinch points and may have, in fact did cause the flow of human traffic to be effected. But on the plans it was so obvious, so why couldn't the professionals see it? I appreciate that a lot of this is part of my work previous to retirement, and it just said to me that standards were below poor. Look at the way buildings are done, reinforced concrete pillars, ok not a problem, but then they fill in with weak poor quality baked mud bricks, they do not use profiles to tie in the bricks to the pillars, and eventually cracks appear on settling. I remember staying in a West Bank Hotel with its own special A/C, the crack in the wall was so bad I could put my arm through and look through the window and see my hand.
Anyway back to this young girls problem, I suppose her Egyptian husbands family are supporting her through these times, (Oh God how stupid of me to suggest this), I think the Courts will just keep on delaying justice and remanding for further reports until they think they have punished her enough to let her go. Those that live in Luxor know the Court system and know just how slow and ineffective it is, in fact many people give up on the justice system and loose millions of pounds through sheer frustration on the process, possibly aided by the long line of crooked Lawyers all trying to make out they are the best. I suppose this woman was informed about the new laws on Tramadol or did she fall foul of the no existent information channels. At least it has now highlighted the fact that Tramadol is illegal in Egypt, but at the expense of a young woman's liberty. But I do think this publicity will damage Egypt, and show many just how far it is behind the rest of the World and its education. I cannot think or even have met anyone in the educated world who uses Tramadol for recreation purposes, many know its Opium based, and a powerful pain killer, many know its highly addictive, we don't need to be told. So again on this it seems to boil down to education, education, education. All this money and aid going from the West is obviously not being used correctly so it should now be stopped or at least questioned to what it is being used for. Aid cannot be given willy nilly to a Country that is doing nothing for itself. Egypt itself is becoming more and more a secretive state, making rules and regulations up as it bumps along its daily way, but regulations and rules that are not advertised.
The interesting thing is that this story is now Worldwide and virtually every Country is following this story, and have their own thoughts. Maybe also having their own thoughts also on why they should want to visit Egypt.

[newcastle]

If you're going to get someone else to write your posts MT - and it's a welcome change from your usual gibberish - suggest to them that the odd paragraph might make it easier on the eye.

[HEPZIBAH]

If you're going to get someone else to write your posts MT - and it's a welcome change from your usual gibberish - suggest to them that the odd paragraph might make it easier on the eye.

Education?

[carrie]

Apparently the case is going to court soon. Maybe if she and her family had kept a lower profile she would just have been deported.

[newcastle]

Apparently the case is going to court soon. Maybe if she and her family had kept a lower profile she would just have been deported.

And as for MT's suggestion that the case shows Egypt in a bad light....I've yet to see a comment anywhere on social media or in the press expressing any sympathy whatsoever for her "plight".

[Dusak]

Ignorance is no excuse for braking the laws of any country, she is where she is because she is plain stupid, so no sympathy from me. Apparently he is hiding up in Luxor, his home town. The family are probably thinking of starting a crowd funding appeal to pay for a good lawyer going off the latest interview highlighted on Mail online. They seem to be just as thick.

[newcastle]

pay for a good lawyer

** choke** !!

[crewmeal]

The family can always ask Boris for help. I'm sure he'd sort it out

[Adamantium]

I read it has so far cost the father £10,000 in legal fees so the Lawyer is doing well out of this and perhaps others. Now even if the Visa situation remains the same those of us with meds have to go through the hassle of getting written consent while alerting them to medical conditions we may not wish to disclose. I was taking 40 winks when the report came up. I sat up immediately. I was aware there is a problem with Tramadol in Egypt. This has made me more aware. I read that people such as Taxi drivers or night workers in Egypt take them for stamina. This was a real eye opener literally in my case.

I cannot help wonder why he depends on his wife for pain relief. How does he survive when she is away? If he knows there is money to be made through supply and demand she may proven to be his unwilling and unsuspecting drug mule. Love is blind and she takes the call. He went into hiding for some weeks before emerging to support her story. This gave him ample time to gather medical evidence to his condition or evidence of someone else's having them believe it to be his.

She travels there three times a year. That batch of Tramadol would last a month. If this evidence related to his condition why has he not received medication from his Doctor. I am sure she will have paid. Now she is paying a high price. Although he should stand by her he knows the ways of the nation hence his going into hiding. So far his story supports all she tells the Police. She also adds the Tramadol were visible to those scrutinizing her luggage. She also stated she signed some paper work at the Airport. She thought she would be released after that. If the documents were Arabic as I imagine they would be she could not know what she was signing. She may have admitted to making a false declaration on her entry card. She has signed away her liberty. His pain is now insignificant compared to what she is going through.

[carrie]

I was speaking to someone yesterday about this (an Egyptian) he had heard nothing about it. He did tell me though that a man in his village was addicted to Tramadol and he believed the going rate was 70le per tab. Times 300 that's 21,000le a trip quite a killing.

[newcastle]

Creating a hullabaloo in the press and on social media is NOT the way to deal with the Egyptian legal/political mentality....

The woman is obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer.....and appears not to have fallen far from the family tree in that respect.

If she's lucky, a decision might be taken "on high" to kick her out with a request that she doesn't return ( which will do her a favour on several fronts).

Otherwise....she's in for an uncomfortable, and expensive, bed (sans breakfast) holiday in Hurghada.

[Who2]

Call me cynical but:
British tourist held in Egyptian jail over Tramadol painkillers 'begs to go home to watch I’m A Celebrity'

What can one say, didn't it used to be "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here..?
She's acting out her own story, probably write a book probably be read by MT.
On second thoughts drop the book idea one has to be able to write first.....

[Adamantium]

There was once a Kleptomaniac. He would always steal iPad. All the time he takes iPad. His friends although grateful for a fresh iPad every season decided he should go and see the Doctor. So he goes along. The Doctor gives him some advice and a prescription. He tells him to come back in a week to report his progress.

A week later he returns to his GP. He walks in carrying a pile of iPad. The Doctor looks at him astonished. "I thought you were going to follow my advice."
"I did." The man began. "You told me to keep taking the tablets."

Regarding her situation she should have both researched the Tramadol situation in Egypt and from this appreciate what Tramadol is and how if this man should happen to be genuine could then go from back pain to addiction. I am astonished at the price these pills attract. Any female tourist who take themselves an Egyptian lover don't always have a fairy tale ending therefore these men can prove high maintenance and so a batch of Tramadol could take some of the strain off her own finances. For him it is risk free unless they go to work on him.

The whole situation had me gobsmacked. Banged up abroad in Egypt. I know some people on this forum have or knows someone who has experienced the trauma of an Egyptian jail therefore they would have some empathy to what she is suffering. At best she is taught a lesson then depart Egypt never permitted to return as expressed above this post. This will have everyone who are thinking of travelling to Egypt or abroad to investigate closely the does and don't of where they are heading.

On a lighter note...I had a great Halloween. I decided this Halloween I would make my first parachute jump. It was easy. I just went up to it shouted "BOO!"

[newcastle]

I suppose, on one level, even a dyed-in-the-wool, hard-hearted ,cynic like me can spare a moment's sympathy for a lone English woman banged up in a Hurghada cell. Getting involved here with "Authority" is always unpleasant....you have a feeling of complete impotence and vulnerability.

Then again, you hear so many tales of foreign woman/Egyptian boyfriend encounters going tits up...many reaching social media or the press...that you wonder what planet the latest victim was living on and head for the nearest wall to give it a good head banging.

[Dusak]

The problem is, this tablet has been widely used in Egypt for quite a long time. How many Stepford wives have been willing couriers in the past bringing in much needed supplies for the aching backs of the Orfie husbands? Unknowing that they are selling like hot cakes on the streets. You must lead by example in my book, this woman's term of incarceration will serve as a warning that Egypt will not tolerate the transit of drugs of any description. Serve six months then go home and let everyone know that its a no no.

[carrie]

Well Boris seems to be remarkably quiet on the subject perhaps just as well or she would be charged with working here illegally, spying and goodness knows what else.
I am sure however that our Embassy in Cairo is assisting her in every possible way

[Who2]

The problem is, this tablet has been widely used in Egypt for quite a long time. How many Stepford wives have been willing couriers in the past bringing in much needed supplies for the aching backs of the Orfie husbands? Unknowing that they are selling like hot cakes on the streets. You must lead by example in my book, this woman's term of incarceration will serve as a warning that Egypt will not tolerate the transit of drugs of any description. Serve six months then go home and let everyone know that its a no no.

A Dr says: "Just say no to drugs" ...starting with alcohol mind you! it's not even in the top 10 of killers..
Ps: Which are.....

Heart disease
Stroke
Lung cancer
Lower respiratory infections
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Colon and rectum cancers. 'blimey!
Alzheimer's disease
Type 2 diabetes
Breast cancer
Stomach cancer

So this Dr say's "You lot have a lot to worry about, if you get my drift, which I seriously doubt!......

[Dusak]

And how many of those conditions are smoking related, a just as bad drug that I'm hooked on.

[A-Four]

And how many of those conditions are smoking related, a just as bad drug that I'm hooked on.

My dear Dusack, try not to depress your self too much with the Dr's disclosure here,.....life is not that simple, we are all made up in different ways, and so few really understand this, that is why I keep banging on about indenting each individual's medical problems at a early stage, with such early checks that are not possible when living in Egypt.

I am sure you may have come across a few who neither drink or smoke in Luxor, and yet I can tell you by just looking at them, what they will die within the next ten years of something they least expect. I have met a few of these people in Luxor along with their sanctimonious attitude, when in fact a good drink, cigarette, or for that matter a joint (and I don't mean Sunday dinner) would do them the world of good.

I remember once long ago, coming across a young chap who told me his greatest fear was to die as a result of drowning, I had to inform him that no matter whichever way he was to die, it would be because of the fact that he would not be able to force that final breath,...........and that would cause his death.

I do not smoke cigarettes or joints for that matter these days, but I still find that those who do are the most interesting people, and those who bang on about the damage passive smoking does to them, is ridiculous, especially when they sit outside street cafes in Luxor,.......but then again, that tells us as to how much they really know.