Noticeable drop in number of Britons arrested in UAE

British behaviour in the UAE has improved, according to annual statistics released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The number of Britons arrested on drug-related offences in the Emirates fell by 79 per cent, while the number of arrests overall (including drug-related arrests) fell by 18 per cent and cases requiring consular assistance fell by 10 per cent. "The report is important because it highlights to British nationals the dangers of travelling and living overseas and not respecting local laws and culture. "A properly planned visit to the UAE should be a fantastic experience, and the vast majority of the one million British visitors per year, and the 100,000 British residents, have a great stay. We want people to think about where they are and behave in the right way," Guy Warrington, Consul General at the British Embassy in Dubai, said. Last year, Britons were most likely to be arrested in the UAE, only behind Thailand. This year's report shows the UAE has moved to seventh place. "But this is still too high and so the message we are putting out is still very important even if the work we have done to raise awareness is having a positive effect," Warrington said. The British Embassies in the UAE have recently increased their outreach programme activities, providing educative talks at schools, advice through the media, travel advice and its guide to the UAE that was published earlier this year. Hospitalisations over the past year increased by 32 per cent and in total 75 Britons died in the UAE compared to 56 last year — an increase of 33 per cent. "Taking out travel insurance is a key component of the FCO's Know Before You Go Activity. This report is one such example of how we spread this important message," Warrington said. According to this year's statistics, Britons travelling abroad are most likely to be arrested in Spain and the US, ahead of the UAE. It's estimated that 100,000 Britons live in the UAE and approximately 20,000 of these reside in Abu Dhabi. A total of one million transit through the Emirates. per year.