The relatives of Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton, Liverpool, have launched an urgent appeal after learning that their daughter is behind bars in central Dubai jail.
In a now-deleted GoFundMe post, her mother, Danielle McKenna, wrote: “Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai and she is now in central prison.
“As you can all probably imagine, as her mother I am absolutely devastated. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.”
Ms McKenna said her 23-year-old daughter has “never done a bad thing in her life,” adding that the young girl went to university to do law but “unfortunately got mixed up in the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake”
“All I ask is if you can donate anything you can spare, even if it’s a £1”, she pleaded.
“It could help up massively and I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much,” Ms McKenna added.
She later wrote a follow-up post thanking those who have donated.
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“I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far, this money will be used to send to my daughter Mia, and also for any legal fees that may arise, and maybe even to go towards getting family over to Dubai to see her, as none of us have seen Mia since last October, so thank you all so much,” she wrote.
It is not clear what alleged crime the 23-year-old has been convicted of, however life sentences for drug trafficking cases in the United Arab Emirates are not uncommon – and can even can even result in the death penalty.
The UK Foreign Office website explicitly warns visitors not to break the law in the United Arab Emirates, drawing particular attention to drug offences.
“There is zero tolerance for drugs-related offences. The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe,” it warns.
“Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty. Possession of even the smallest amount of illegal drugs, including cannabis, can lead to a minimum 3-month prison term or a fine of between 20,000 UAE dirham (£4,000) and 100,000 UAE dirham (£20,000).”
It adds that the Emirati authorities even consider the presence of drugs in the blood stream as possession, warning that some ‘herbal highs’ and products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are also illegal in the Middle Eastern country.
It continues: “Possessing, concealing or making transactions with money from drugs-related offences is illegal. You could get a prison sentence and a fine.
“UAE airports have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items, including cannabis. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers. You can be arrested for carrying drugs, even residual amounts.”
It comes after a string of Brits have been arrested abroad for alleged drug trafficking charges.
A British mother-of-two was arrested in Mauritius after she was accused of trying to smuggle cannabis inside her six-year-old son’s suitcase.
Natashia Artug, 35, from Cambridgeshire, was one of seven people detained by authorities who accused them of hiding more than 161kg of cannabis in their luggage.
Meanwhile, a British mother-of-three is facing the death penalty after being accused of trafficking more than £300,000 of cocaine into Bali in Angel Delight sachets.
Bella Cully, 19, faces life behind bars or 20 years in prison after being arrested earlier this year for allegedly taking cannabis into Georgia.