UPDATE: July 2025
Recent incidents involving American tourists detained in Dubai continue to raise concerns about travel safety in the United Arab Emirates. The following cases have emerged since this article’s original publication:
Charles Wimberly (September 2024): According to Detained in Dubai’s press releases and statements reported by multiple outlets including 11Alive and Black Enterprise, a 52-year-old U.S. Navy veteran from Georgia suffering from PTSD and degenerative spine disease was detained at Dubai International Airport on September 27 for “trafficking” his own prescribed CBD oil and Ibuprofen. According to Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, as quoted in their October 2024 press release, “It’s every tourist’s nightmare.” He faced over three years in prison before being released on bail. The organization announced on October 28 that charges were dropped and he was freed to return home.
Joseph and Joshua Lopez (June 2024): Two Ohio brothers, including 24-year-old Air Force veteran Joseph Lopez, were sentenced to four months in Dubai prison for alcohol consumption charges, according to Fox News and multiple outlets. According to Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, the brothers alleged they were “drugged and robbed” at a yacht party. The organization described the detention facilities as “among the world’s most notorious” for human rights abuses.
Peter Clark (2022): According to reports from Detained in Dubai, Nevada resident Peter Clark faced years in prison after trace elements of cannabis were found in his system during hospitalization in Dubai, despite having consumed it legally in Nevada before traveling.
Continued Pattern: According to statements from Detained in Dubai published in 2022 and referenced in recent reports, American tourists continue to face detention for offenses including residual cannabis in their system from legal use in the United States, private social media messages, and minor infractions. The organization reported handling over 15,000 cases as of 2022.
These incidents occur despite the State Department maintaining its Level 2 travel advisory for the UAE, which advises to “exercise increased caution” but does not specifically mention risks of detention over minor infractions or potential extortion schemes targeting tourists.
Travel Advisory Gap: As of July 2025, the State Department’s UAE advisory focuses on terrorism and missile threats but omits warnings about the legal risks that have ensnared numerous American tourists. Advocacy groups continue to call for enhanced warnings that specifically address false allegations, extortion schemes, and the risk of detention for actions that are legal in the United States.
KEY POINTS:
- 21-year-old Lehman College student Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos returned to New York after five months detained in Dubai
- Initial incident involved touching airport security officer’s arm during medical device assistance request
- Student faced one-year prison sentence before diplomatic intervention secured release
- Case highlights broader pattern of foreign nationals detained in UAE over minor incidents
- Advocacy groups call for enhanced U.S. travel warnings about legal risks in Dubai
Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, a 21-year-old business arts student from the Bronx, has returned to the United States after a five-month ordeal in Dubai that began with a routine airport security check and escalated to a one-year prison sentence, according to multiple news outlets and advocacy organizations.
According to ABC News, De Los Santos was traveling back to New York from Istanbul with a friend when she had a 10-hour layover at Dubai International Airport on July 14. The incident that led to her detention occurred during a security screening when, as reported by Detained in Dubai, an advocacy organization that represented her, security officers asked her to remove a medical waist trainer she wore following recent surgery.
The removal process proved difficult and uncomfortable. According to statements De Los Santos made to Detained in Dubai, as reported by Newsweek, the security officers were “rough” in removing the compressor, and she felt “really violated” during the process. When she requested help putting the medical device back on, which typically requires two people, the officers refused to assist her, as detailed in multiple sources including Fox 5 New York and CBS New York.
According to Detained in Dubai’s account, published by multiple outlets including ABC News, De Los Santos “gently touched” the arm of one of the female officers “to guide her out of the way” while calling to her friend for help. This action led to her detention for “touching the female customs officer,” with authorities filing a complaint accusing her of “assaulting and insulting” airport staff.
After signing paperwork in Arabic, De Los Santos was initially allowed to leave the airport, according to ABC News. However, upon attempting to board her flight home, she discovered a travel ban had been issued against her, effectively stranding her in Dubai.
Legal Proceedings and Escalation
On August 24, according to multiple sources including ABC News and Newsweek, judges ordered De Los Santos to pay a fine of 10,000 dirhams (approximately $2,700). However, customs officials appealed this decision, seeking harsher penalties. According to Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, as quoted by ABC News, “They either want her in jail or they want to pressure her into making a compensatory payment to them.”
The situation deteriorated when De Los Santos received a one-year prison sentence, as reported by multiple outlets on October 2. During her detention, according to Detained in Dubai’s statements published by Yahoo News, she lost approximately $50,000 in expenses and legal fees, missed months of classes at Lehman College, and saw her apartment lease expire.
Diplomatic Intervention and Release
The case attracted attention from U.S. officials. According to CBS New York, Congressman Ritchie Torres’ office was in contact with De Los Santos and worked to help secure her release. State Department principal deputy spokesperson Verdant Patel confirmed to ABC News that “The department is in communication with her and her family and we’re going to continue to monitor her case and be involved.”
On October 3, De Los Santos’ sentence was commuted, and she boarded a flight home to New York late Tuesday night, according to Detained in Dubai’s announcement reported by multiple outlets. PIX11 reported that Stirling stated De Los Santos was “ecstatic to be returning to the US after five months of anguish.”
Broader Pattern of Detentions
De Los Santos’ case follows a similar pattern to other Americans detained in Dubai. According to CBS News and the Washington Times, Texas resident Tierra Allen, known as the “Sassy Trucker” on social media, was detained for months after being accused of “shouting” at a rental car employee. Allen was released in August after paying a $1,360 fee to lift her travel ban.
According to Detained in Dubai, as reported by CBS News, rental car agencies in Dubai are “notorious for opening criminal cases against visitors with the promise to drop the case if they are paid off.” Stirling stated that in another recent case, “three Americans actually paid over $20,000 to a rental car agency that they did not owe, just so they could get out of the country.”
Current Travel Warnings
The State Department’s current travel advisory for the United Arab Emirates, as accessed through official channels, maintains a Level 2 status, advising Americans to “exercise increased caution” due to the threat of missile or drone attacks and terrorism. According to the official advisory, it notes that residents and visitors “generally find a safe and secure environment in the UAE.”
However, the advisory does not specifically mention the risk of detention over minor infractions or potential legal extortion schemes, a gap that Detained in Dubai has repeatedly called on authorities to address. According to ABC News, the advocacy group urged the State Department to revise its warnings to “include the risk of false allegations and extortion scams.”
Legal System Concerns
According to legal experts and advocacy groups cited in multiple sources, the UAE maintains strict laws governing public behavior that can catch foreign visitors unaware. The NewsNation report noted that even “minor legal infractions can lead to detention at the airport.”
Stirling, in statements to various media outlets including Newsweek and ABC News, emphasized that false allegations against foreigners can be profitable to accusers, lawyers, and hotels where victims must stay during proceedings. According to the organization’s press releases, a mere allegation can be sufficient to secure a conviction regardless of evidence.
Impact on Tourism
The high-profile nature of these cases has raised concerns about Dubai’s reputation as a tourist destination. According to statements from Detained in Dubai reported by multiple outlets, Stirling noted that “The leadership has spent billions on marketing a glamorous city to international audiences, relying wholly on the naivety of visitors and investors to bring in the dollars.”
PIX11 reported Stirling’s warning that “In many instances, it’s actually an extortion scheme where people make complaints against foreign nationals, and they expect the lawyer to come forward and offer them a high compensation payment in order to drop that case.”
According to the organization’s statements published by multiple sources, De Los Santos’ mother contacted Detained in Dubai after learning about the Tierra Allen case, highlighting how news of these incidents spreads among concerned families of detained Americans.
