A Scottish teenager spent Christmas locked in a Qatari prison cell, accused of being an international drug mule, while his frantic family campaigned for his release thousands of miles away.
A Terrifying Phone Call Home
Lino Neil, an 18-year-old champion fisherman from Drymen, near Stirling, was arrested at Hamad International Airport in Doha on 21 November. Qatari authorities allegedly discovered cannabis in his suitcase during a stopover on a journey from Thailand to Dublin. The young angler immediately called his family in a state of sheer terror, realising he could face years of detention in the Gulf state for the serious drug offence.
His mother, Nicola Neil, 49, described her son as "totally distraught" and revealed the devastating impact on her own mental health. "I've been a mess and prescribed medication just to keep me from having a breakdown. I've hardly slept a wink," she said. During one harrowing call, Lino was so frantic he spoke of taking his own life, leaving his mother living in fear.
Overcrowded Cells and a Coercion Claim
Following his arrest, Lino was initially held in a severely overcrowded airport cell with approximately 80 other men, where he lost a significant amount of weight due to lack of food. He has since been moved to Doha's Central Prison, where drug offenders are typically housed, and shares a smaller cell with just a few others.
The Neil family insists Lino is an innocent victim who was manipulated. They claim a British expat coerced him into carrying the suitcase, allegedly filled with a substantial amount of cannabis, from Thailand. "He is just a teenage boy, a baby, and he has no contacts in Thailand and he'd have no way of setting up any kind of drug deal," his mother pleaded, hoping Qatari authorities will recognise he was forced.
Financial Strain and a Fight for Freedom
The ordeal has plunged the family into a serious financial crisis. They face total legal expenses for the criminal trial in Doha estimated at up to £40,000. They have already been compelled to raise around £2,500 upfront to pay a solicitor for his initial court appearance.
Lino's brother, Robbie, 28, who had planned to pick him up from his flight home for Christmas, said the suggestion his brother orchestrated a drug deal was absurd. "He's just a wee laddie who knows more about fishing than anything else. We just need to get him home," he stated. The British Embassy in Doha has visited Lino, providing some consular support.
Lino Neil is scheduled to appear in court on 27 January, where his legal team will argue the coercion case. His arrest highlights warnings from the National Crime Agency about criminal gangs luring young Brits with promises of lavish holidays to act as unsuspecting drug couriers from Southeast Asia.
