Latvian candies with hemp seeds attract the attention of Abu Dhabi airport security guards; fine 765 euros / Article

A fine or a year in prison

To a friend who went to visit his parents in the United Arab Emirates, Daina gave a selection of “Gotiņa” candies produced by the company “Skrīveru saldumi” as a gift. While flying from Riga to Abu Dhabi with a transfer in Copenhagen, he got into serious trouble.

Daina told about the troubles: “When arriving in Abu Dhabi, the airport employee was checking the luggage, the contents of this package seemed suspicious, because through the small, transparent box of the package, he noticed candies with green hemp leaves, which was followed by detention.”

The airport employee opened the package and, finding three candies with the design of hemp leaves, concluded that they contained hemp seeds and classified it as an attempt to bring into the country products containing narcotics. Taking into account the weight of these three candies, a heavy fine of 3,000 dirhams or 765 euros was calculated and applied. If there was no money to pay the fine, or if there were more of these candies, then the punishment would be even more severe – a year in prison.

A person was threatened with a real prison sentence because of three candies produced in Latvia.

Candies meet EU requirements

The representative of the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) Māris Eiklons explained that in the European Union it is allowed to use hemp seeds, oil pressed from the seeds, hemp seed flour in food, but recently it was allowed to use hemp leaves for tea.

“When traveling, a person should familiarize himself with the laws of the country, the regulations of the country to which a person is traveling. In addition, we know that both some Arab countries and Asian countries are the ones that look extremely strictly at things related to the possible the presence of narcotics,” Eiklon said.

The company “Skrīveru saldumi” does not see its responsibility in this situation, because all the ingredients used in the production of candies are indicated on the product packaging.

“Currently, the European Union has a known history of safe use in food and the following food products and plant parts obtained from seed hemp can be used. Our advice to the customer before traveling outside the European Union is to find out and make sure about the products and their composition, which can and cannot be taken on the trip selected country. We are very sorry for the situation!” Quality manager/technologist Sintija Ikauniece expressed “Skriveru saldumi” in the letter.

How would Latvian customs act?

Linna Mukana, the Customs representative of the State Revenue Service (SRS), did not think such candy packaging suspicious at first: “Personally, it probably wouldn’t seem suspicious to me, but when I shake it, I see that here is a “Gotiņa” candy with a hemp leaf, which is one of the risk indicators that it might contain prohibited substances.”

How would Latvian customs officials act if a traveler from the United Arab Emirates had a similar package in his luggage, only the ingredients were not indicated in Latvian?

“If we found such a product, we would definitely take all the risk-mitigating measures so that we are sure that it either contains or does not contain a prohibited substance. We have different methods – we have an express test, we have spectrometers, we also have canine experts with working dogs. And accordingly we have to do everything possible to either confirm or disprove our suspicions,” Mukane said.

A package on which a hemp leaf is visible, no matter from which country and to which country it was brought, would create additional interest among customs officials everywhere. Therefore, it should be expected that such packaging will be opened and the product – checked.

The representative of customs conducts an experiment in front of the camera of the LTV program “4.studija”, checking the candy “Gotiņa”, which contains roasted hemp seeds: “We will see in the express test whether there are narcotic substances here.” When taking a candy sample, the express test does not show prohibited substances in it.

The composition of candies should be carefully studied

The problem is that if the composition of the candies is not carefully studied, the buyer may not see through the small, transparent part of the package that there are also hemp candies inside. Maybe something should be changed or highlighted in the candy label?

Māris Eiklons, a representative of PVD, does not see the point in this: “Europe has uniform requirements, including a uniform regulation for labeling, which tells what are the mandatory indications on the label, what are the voluntary indications. The cannabis leaf is currently fashionable brand a bit, marketing, but it is not forbidden to use its leaf, and hemp as a plant is also good. We Latvians have known and grown it for many hundreds of years, but that hemp has unfortunately ruined its good reputation. Today, the cannabis leaf is unfortunately more associated with drugs.”

Similar problems can occur with candies that contain alcohol when traveling to third countries.

On the other hand, the representative of the SRS Customs recommends avoiding candies on which a hemp leaf is depicted, which is one of the risk indicators, also within the European Union. “When flying to any country, we have to think about what we are taking with us and why we are taking it with us, and whether it is prohibited. We cannot know what specific legislation there is in another country and whether it will really cause suspicion,” said Mukane.

A certificate from Latvia would not save you from punishment

The PVD representative does not think that, in this situation, the declaration of the Latvian authorities that the specific food product does not contain narcotic substances could help to recover the fine paid, which amounts to almost 1000 euros.

“We can write various statements, but we must respect the right of each sovereign country to set its own limits, its own policy. I do not think that our statement could somehow help to recover the money. I think that the old saying is here – ignorance of the law does not exempt from responsibility. Each the country has the right to set its own policy, these products that they allow or do not allow to be imported,” Eiklon explained.

This turns out to be an expensive lesson for Daya about sending some candy as a bribe to the United Arab Emirates. Her wish for others – learn from others’ mistakes and don’t repeat them!