The United Arab Emirates has enacted one of the region’s most stringent anti-narcotics statutes after President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed issued Federal Decree Law No. 73 of 2025 on 11 December.
The amendments sharply raise fines on doctors, pharmacists and traffickers who illegally prescribe, dispense or supply controlled substances. Violations now attract a minimum five-year jail sentence and a Dh50,000 (US $13,600) penalty. Crucially for global-mobility managers, the law makes deportation mandatory for any non-citizen convicted of narcotics or psychotropic-drug offences. Judges may waive expulsion only in narrowly defined humanitarian circumstances.
![UAE tightens anti-drug law, introduces automatic deportation for foreign offenders]()
Legal specialists say the shift will have immediate consequences for multinationals that station expatriates in the Emirates. Random workplace drug testing is already common in free zones such as the DIFC and JAFZA; compliance teams should expect additional scrutiny as the authorities coordinate with HR departments to identify offenders. Companies found to have facilitated narcotics misuse face corporate fines and potential licence suspension.
From a risk-management standpoint, employers are updating relocation policies to spell out zero-tolerance clauses and highlight the automatic-deportation rule in pre-departure briefings. Insurance providers are also recalibrating premiums for policies that cover detention, legal defence and emergency repatriation.
Immigration advisers note that residents under investigation will have their Emirates ID and residence visa electronically flagged, blocking travel until the case concludes. Offenders who are deported will receive long-term entry bans, effectively ending any prospect of future assignments in the Gulf. The decree therefore reinforces the UAE’s broader strategy of creating a safe, strictly regulated environment that supports its ambition to be a premier hub for investment and talent.
The amendments sharply raise fines on doctors, pharmacists and traffickers who illegally prescribe, dispense or supply controlled substances. Violations now attract a minimum five-year jail sentence and a Dh50,000 (US $13,600) penalty. Crucially for global-mobility managers, the law makes deportation mandatory for any non-citizen convicted of narcotics or psychotropic-drug offences. Judges may waive expulsion only in narrowly defined humanitarian circumstances.
Legal specialists say the shift will have immediate consequences for multinationals that station expatriates in the Emirates. Random workplace drug testing is already common in free zones such as the DIFC and JAFZA; compliance teams should expect additional scrutiny as the authorities coordinate with HR departments to identify offenders. Companies found to have facilitated narcotics misuse face corporate fines and potential licence suspension.
From a risk-management standpoint, employers are updating relocation policies to spell out zero-tolerance clauses and highlight the automatic-deportation rule in pre-departure briefings. Insurance providers are also recalibrating premiums for policies that cover detention, legal defence and emergency repatriation.
Immigration advisers note that residents under investigation will have their Emirates ID and residence visa electronically flagged, blocking travel until the case concludes. Offenders who are deported will receive long-term entry bans, effectively ending any prospect of future assignments in the Gulf. The decree therefore reinforces the UAE’s broader strategy of creating a safe, strictly regulated environment that supports its ambition to be a premier hub for investment and talent.
Source: Khaleej Times
