UAE travel rules: List of items you cannot carry in your luggage

PACKING for a holiday may feel routine to some, but items in your luggage could land you in trouble at airport security or customs. From toy guns to poppy seeds, the UAE has aviation and customs rules to ensure the safety of passengers and residents, reports the Khaleej Times.

While many rules follow international aviation standards, others may surprise even frequent travellers. It may shock some that Etihad Airways prohibits strong-smelling perishable fruits onboard to protect other travellers' comfort. Restricted fruits include durian, jackfruit, champedek, pedalai and marang.

Here are some of the lesser-known restrictions listed by Dubai Airports.

1. Measuring tapes

It may seem harmless, but measuring tapes are not permitted in hand luggage at Dubai airports because they can be used as weapons.

2. Cricket bats, skateboards and fishing rods

Sports equipment, including cricket bats, fishing rods and skateboards, is prohibited in cabin baggage due to security concerns.

3. Toy guns, arrows and darts

Children's toys can also cause problems at airport security. Replica firearms, toy guns, bows, arrows and darts are prohibited in hand luggage and may be confiscated if carried through security screening.

4. Poppy seeds (khus khus)

Poppy seeds — a common spice in Indian households — are banned at Dubai International Airport and throughout the country. They are classified as a derivative of the opium poppy and treated as a narcotic substance. The UAE enforces a strict zero-tolerance drug policy where even trace amounts or processed seeds in food are illegal.

5. Specific food items

Pork products are strictly prohibited from being brought through customs into Dubai International Airport.

Under UAE customs regulations, non-Halal meat and pork products (including bacon, ham, lard, and pork gelatine) are classified as banned items with zero tolerance and will be confiscated upon arrival.

6. Some medications

Medicine legal in one country may be tightly controlled in another.

Most prescription and over-the-counter medicines can be brought into the UAE for personal use. However, medicines containing narcotic, psychotropic or other controlled substances that may be legal abroad can require additional documentation, with some requiring prior approval from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP).

Similarly, cannabis and CBD products, including oils, remain prohibited in the UAE despite being legal in several other countries.

Other banned items at Dubai Airport

Dubai Customs lists prohibited goods passengers should not carry into the UAE. These include:

    Narcotic drugs, including hashish, cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogenic pills

    Goods intended for import from boycotted countries

    Crude ivory and rhinoceros horn

    Gambling tools and machinery

    Three-layer fishing nets

    Original engravings, prints, lithographs, sculptures and statues in any material

    Used, reconditioned or inlaid tyres

    Radioactive or radiation-contaminated substances

    Printed publications, photographs, paintings, books, magazines, sculptures and mannequins that violate UAE laws or public decency

    Forged or counterfeit currency

    Any other goods prohibited under UAE customs or other applicable laws

Banned items at Sharjah Airport

Sharjah Airport prohibits some items in both cabin and checked baggage, including the following:

    Knives with blades 6cm or longer, as well as knives prohibited under UAE law, sabres, swords, box cutters, hunting and souvenir knives, and martial arts weapons

    Firearms and weapons of any description, including starter and flare pistols

    Fire extinguishers, compressed oxygen and ammonia solutions

    Explosives and ammunition, including fireworks, firecrackers, blasting caps, detonating fuses and distress signals

    Ice picks, alpenstocks, straight razors and long scissors

    Toy, dummy or replica weapons and grenades that could be mistaken for or used as weapons

Banned items at Abu Dhabi Airport

Abu Dhabi Airport says certain items are strictly prohibited in both hand luggage and checked baggage for safety reasons.

These include:

    Weapons and imitation weapons: Firearms, ammunition, sharp objects and replicas.

    Explosives and flammable materials: Items that could cause serious injury or pose a risk to the aircraft

    Chemicals and toxic substances: Including corrosive materials and compressed gases