‘Many caught as carriers’: Seminar held to create awareness about Qatar’s laws on drugs

Published: 11 September 2024

Ambassador urges Indians to observe caution, follow laws; travellers
urged not to bring packets given by others

NT Bureau
Doha

Ambassador of India to Qatar Mr Vipul has urged Indians to observe due caution and follow Qatar’s laws while traveling to the country.

He highlighted Qatar’s rules for bringing restricted and other medicines into the country and the prohibition on bringing narcotic substances.

He was speaking at an online seminar held on Tuesday by Embassy of India and Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) for raising awareness about Qatar’s rules and regulations regarding banned narcotics and import of restricted psychoactive and psychotropic drugs/substances.

Ambassador’s advice comes in the wake of an uptick in the number of cases where travellers from India are caught in Qatar with drugs and restricted medicines.

The seminar was attended by Indian community members, leaders, mediapersons and other stakeholders from Doha as well as India.

The seminar was also addressed by Ambassador of India, First Secretary Mr. Eish Singhal and ICBF President Mr. Shahnawaz Bawa.

Eish Singhal presented some case studies in which Indians received prison sentences for carrying narcotics or restricted drugs. In some cases, those sentenced claimed that they had been handed over a packet by agents when they travelled to Qatar and the packet was found to contain prohibited or restricted items when they landed in Qatar.

They are caught and then have no immediate family members to help them in the legal battle. At any given time, there are dozens of such cases involving Indians who eventually land in jails of Qatar, the seminar was told.

ICBF President in his speech requested civil society organizations, including in India, to spread awareness about the strict laws in Qatar on consumption or trafficking of drugs and prohibited substances. He also underlined assistance extended by Embassy of India and ICBF to Indian prisoners such as legal counseling and some financial assistance in emergency.

The seminar ended by urging all Indians to follow Qatar’s rules and regulations which are available on the website of Ministry of Public Health in Qatar.