British woman accused of smuggling 290 tramadol tablets in Egypt faces trial

A British woman was detained in Egypt after officials found 290 tramadol tablets in her suitcase, British media reported on Saturday.

Laura Plummer, 33, had flown into the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada to see her Egyptian partner, Omar Caboo, for a two-week holiday last October.

Plummer said that the tablets were for Caboo as he suffers from chronic back pain.

However, Plummer faces trial after what authorities suspect to be drug trafficking.

Tramadol tablets are known to be an illegal drug in Egypt because of its wide use as a heroin substitute.

According to British newspaper the Independent, Plummer claims that she had ‘’no idea’’ the drugs were banned in the country, as they aren’t in the UK.

Her brother James defended his sister, saying he believed she was doing a “good deed,” according to The Telegraph.

Laura’s partner has provided medical reports of his condition to a court in Hurghada as evidence to support her defense.

The shop worker has been held since October 9 at Hurghada’s Police Station on the outskirts of the town.

According to her family, Laura is being detained in a ‘’hellhole’’ surroundings in a 15ft by 15ft cell with more than 20 other women for almost a month.

No date has been yet set for her trial. Her family have said however that Plummer could face up to 25 years in jail, and possibly the death penalty, for drug trafficking,

On Saturday, the prosecutors renewed her detention for another 15 days.