I am traveling through Dubai tomorrow on the way to South Africa (flight leaves late tonight out of Zurich). Thank God I randomly ran across the page on the Emirates website that states that it is illegal to carry some medicine's into the UAE, including over the counter medicine. Then it states for all prescription medicine you have to have a detailed doctor's note. My Swiss doctor had given my husband and I malaria medicine along with antibiotics just in case we get sick. I don't even have a prescription for this medicine or others since my doctor's just give me the medicine in their office. I also had packed over the counter American allergy and cold medicines. I have taken everything out of my luggage and will just buy the malaria medicine in Cape Town. I ran across several articles on the internet that people were arrested for having traces of medicine/and or drugs on them.

Now my question is am I being paranoid that some of my medicine could have fallen out in my luggage and left traces that are still in my luggage? I travel with this medicine to every other country and it is completely legal and prescribed by doctor's or bought over the counter.

Has anyone had any experiences traveling through Dubai?

Thanks!

AggieCoco

I really wouldn't worry too much. I've traveled through Dubai on transit quite a few times and have never had any problems like that, even with some over the counter medicine in my check in luggage.

I assume you are just changing planes in Dubai, so your luggage will go straight from one plane to the next. Given that you are not actually entering the country, and just in transit I really wouldn't worry about it.

For interest sake, where are you going in SA that requires malaria medicine? I live in Cape Town, and unless you are going really far north (to Kruger) or over the border into Mozambique you really shouldn't need malaria medicine.

Enjoy your holiday in SA, the weather is getting good now!

Thanks PeterC610 for your post! We are traveling to Kruger National Park so that is why I was going to bring the Malaria medicine. I will just buy it when I am in Cape Town. Can't wait!

I was in Dubai fews months ago in vacations, included in that time with my 4 months older daughter, and I had no problems.

I believe you'll have no problems to find medicines there. There's a lot of big Malls. The main concern was the weather that was too hot. We were there in may.

Have a nice trip!

Oh good, you got some good advice from Peter .... I had written the same but my delightful Windows Vista got shut down to do updates!!!!!! ...before I could "submit" what I`d written.

Rest assured ... you got absolutely nothing to worry about - going VIA Dubai to SA. As Peter said ..... you dont have a customs check.

Anyway ..... Arabic customs are only mainly concerned with Heavy Drugs containing stuff like Morphine/Heroin/Tranquilizers/"uppers and downers"/ etc .... not normal body maintenance stuff.

Have a wonderful time in SA!
Von Voyage.

There is always a strict security check in Dubai. Even when changing planes in the same terminal.

Once, I had a supply of vitamins with me. That caused some discussion! Had to wait till a supervisor came, who spoke English and could be convinced that I only had harmless vitamins.

Oh ok ..... so was your vitamins in your hand-luggage?

Medications are always better packed into the hold luggage, in their original packaging.

There are only customs at the entrance to the Dubai airport - once in the terminal its only the security check on hand-luggage before boarding the new flight - innit? Hold luggage goes from plane to plane.

I was paranoid after reading this article about 2 Canadian men arrested and jailed for having Celebrex on them that was prescribed by his doctor.

http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=85727

Then I came across more articles that continued to make me even more paranoid. So I took all vitamins/over the counter/prescription medicine out of my luggage. It's not worth going to jail when I am supposed to be enjoying my honeymoon!

Thanks for all of your replies!

AggieCoco

Hiya,
I came through DBX on transit recently and my checked luggage contained several packets of over-the-counter tablets, en route from MEL-ZRH. I didn't even think about it, and nobody mentioned anything to me.
Cheers, R13.

If you must carry medicine in your hand luggage, carry a copy of the prescription, a note from your doctor or a note from your mum

I was once in transit in Dubai when travelling between Frankfurt and Sydney. The main thing that stuck out in my mind is that the transit area is very crowded and there is nearly nowhere to sit - more like a shopping centre than an airport.

I came to Zurich through a transit in Dubai. In my experience nothing untoward happened.
I carried Over the counter medicines but I packed them in my suitcases.I suggest you avoid packing them in your hand luggage. That way it might not create trouble for you.

I was worried that the Dubai heat would impact the efficacy of vitamins. The checked luggage would have been roasted during the 6 hour stopover. Hence, I carried the vits in my cabin bag and was hassled.

A new bigger terminal opened in November 2008. Still a busy airport. Chronic shoppers will love it.