Tierra Allen, 30, knows the terror of nearly losing her freedom in Dubai. When she heard British student Mia O’Brien had been sentenced to 25 years for possessing 50 grams of cocaine, it brought back painful memories.
Allen, a Houston truck driver and influencer, spent four months trapped in Dubai in 2023. She had her passport seized after a dispute at a car rental agency and feared ending up in Al-Awir prison, notorious for violent assaults. “I felt like I was signing my life away without understanding,” she said.
Human rights advocate Radha Stirling helped Allen fight the charges and lift the travel ban. Allen now warns travelers: “Dubai don’t play. I would never go back. Never again.”
O’Brien’s family calls her arrest a tragic mistake, and her legal team is appealing. “Even small amounts of drugs can lead to decades in prison,” Allen said.
Do you think countries with harsh drug laws should show more mercy to young offenders?