Egypt: French traveller arrested for packing illegal pills

Cairo airport authorities say they have arrested a French passenger of Egyptian descent who was allegedly carrying hundreds of pills of banned drugs in his luggage.

Ibrahim Abdel Latif, a senior official at the Customs Authority, said Friday that when inspectors searched the passenger’s luggage upon his arrival from Paris, they found more than a thousand pills of Pregabalin and Tramadol, powerful painkillers.

Both drugs are banned by Egyptian authorities because they can be used as a heroin substitute.

The passenger, who was not identified, was detained and faced possible charges.