FCO warns about drugs abroad

Formalities 03/02/2010

Following new figures released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Chris Bryant MP has warned of the dangers faced by Britons who dabble in drugs while abroad and urged them to take extra care. Their research also uncovered that we have an unrealistic perception of what the FCO can do for us if arrested oversea. A fifth of British nationals believe the embassy or high commission can get them out of prison and over 66% that they are able to give legal advice.

In a statement on the FCO website the member or parliament for the Rhondda commented: "Britons should know the risks of taking drugs abroad?and they should also be extremely wary of being sucked into the drugs trade. New figures show that over 1,000 Brits are in prisons overseas for drugs. People often don't realise that they will be sentenced in that country, that sentencing can take many months, prison conditions can be very difficult to handle and that sentences can be very long. The message is clear-we can't get people out of jail in other countries, so if you don't want to waste your life away in a tough foreign jail, be sensible and keep clean."

Advice on arrest and detention abroad can be found on the FCO website.