Top 10 Insane Things You Can Go To Jail For Around the World

Maybe the travel brochure should mention a few of these – just in case. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Insane Things You Can Go To Jail For Around the World. For this list, we’re looking at seemingly innocent acts that could land someone in a heap of trouble. We are not saying the arrests aren’t legal, only that they are unexpected.

Pretty much any country incorporates laws to supervise gambling. Thailand went one step further, as only horseracing and the governmental lottery are legal. In the mid-1930s, a gambling act was passed which forbid the organization of such activities, resulting in many illegal casinos popping up all over the nation. The government was not done yet, taking over the manufacture of playing cards and ruling that that a person can only possess 120 cards at any time. Those caught gambling face steep fines or possibly a stint in jail. Foreigners might even be deported.

No matter how charming Leonardo DiCaprio makes it seem, check fraud is no laughing matter – especially in Dubai. If a check bounces, a complaint can be filed with the police, who will investigate and prosecute the offender. At that point, the issuer either pays the money or goes to jail. Let's say they decide to spend some time behind bars. . . this doesn’t mean the offender is off the hook. Once their term is complete, the receiver of the fraudulent check can then start a legal process all over again.

Here’s the war on drugs taken to the extreme. Before visiting Dubai, pretty much any travel guide worth their salt suggests to double check the medicine you are traveling with. In order to reduce the risk of drug addiction, the government enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy, and offenders could end up in jail or facing deportation if caught carrying controlled substances. Common ingredients like codeine and morphine require a prescription from a UAE licensed doctor, so any travelers carrying medicine should bring their medical documents to avoid trouble.

Being caught in a restaurant or a bar without your wallet is a recipe for embarrassment, but ‘fessing up is probably the best way to handle it. Unfortunately, things do not always work out, as restaurants are well within their right to bring in the cops. Just ask the Italian tourist who got caught with empty pockets at a New York steakhouse; he spent the night in jail for his forgetfulness. While these are freak occurrences, Japanese law requires foreign citizens staying in the country to carry their residence card at all times. Failure to present an ID when asked could result in an arrest; so, best to double check your wallet before leaving the hotel.

Public decency laws are established for most countries and vary depending on the nation’s culture and customs. Kissing in public might be perfectly acceptable in North America and Europe, but locking lips in Dubai is just asking for trouble. (Boy, Dubai sure has a lot of strict rules.) This extends to a married couple, who – at most – are allowed to hold hands. Dancing is also frowned upon, and randomly addressing a woman in a public space could easily result in jail time. And, you guessed it, nudity is prohibited pretty much everywhere. Best to keep it in the bedroom.

Oh yeah, this one is no exaggeration. Say a bad word while visiting certain parts of Australia and risk spending the next six months behind bars. Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria have all passed offensive language laws to reduce vulgarity within a public space. Please, won’t someone think of the children! Considered a summary offense, alongside vandalism and begging, this law prohibits language deemed disorderly, threatening, or indecent. If caught, the potty-mouthed perpetrator usually incurs a fine or community service, but imprisonment is an (unlikely) option.

#4: Killing a Cow

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This definitely varies depending on the state, but the slaughter of cows is prohibited in certain parts of India. While Western countries have animal cruelty laws, this is not really the same thing. Cattle holds an important symbolic status for religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, as it is seen as a representation of the earth and all living creatures. To safeguard the cow’s sanctity, laws were passed to restrict the production of beef. The Indian state of Gujarat recently agreed to raise the maximum sentence for cattle slaughter to life imprisonment.

#3: Wi-Fi Piggybacking

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No one likes a cheapskate, and this is especially true in Singapore. Accessing a neighbor's unprotected wireless internet without authorization might not seem like a big deal, but it is kind of a morally grey area. The Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act identifies piggybacking as a form of hacking, with the offender liable to a massive $10,000 fine or a 3-year prison sentence. At least two people have been convicted of Wi-Fi mooching, with one receiving a three-month jail sentence for using another person’s wi-fi to post a bomb hoax.

Pennies themselves are not illegal, but their use in excess can be problematic. It might seem hilarious to pay a parking ticket with a barrel of coins, but vendors are known to reject these payments, despite it being legal tender. This usually comes down to a fear that the coins might be forged, something two Chinese tourists visiting Paris found out the hard way after trying to pay a hotel bill with 1 euro coins, which turned out to be authentic. In the US, people have been charged with disorderly conduct for paying with coins, but it usually has more to do with how they were physically delivered in bulk.

#1: Gum

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Yes, the title is not a typo: importing and selling gum is illegal in Singapore. Introduced in the early ‘90s, the government issued this ban as a response to the excessive litter caused by people sticking gum on, well, everything. Although the act of chewing gum is technically allowed, it might-as-well be illegal since it is nearly impossible to find any, outside of nicotine and certain sugar-free gums sold in pharmacies for medical use. Unless of course, there’s a secret underground black market peddling Juicy Fruit, Doublemint and Big Red.