A British woman convicted in Egypt of smuggling painkillers has been granted early release after spending more than a year in prison, an Egyptian security source said Monday.

Laura Plummer, 34, was arrested at Hurghada airport and sentenced in December 2017 to three years in prison after customs officers found almost 300 Tramadol pills in her luggage.

She was among a number of prisoners granted a presidential pardon after having served a third of her sentence, said the source at the Egyptian prison authority.

"Procedures for her release were completed yesterday (Sunday)," he added.

Tramadol, a strong painkiller used to treat moderate to severe pain, is tightly controlled in Egypt where it is often abused as a recreational drug.

The painkiller is dispensed on prescription in Britain.

Since her arrest, Plummer and her relatives maintained that she was unaware of Egypt's restrictions on the drug and that she was bringing the painkillers for her Egyptian partner who suffered from back pain.

There was no immediate confirmation from Britain of Plummer's pardon.

"Our staff continue to do all they can to support Laura and her family, and our embassy remains in regular contact with the Egyptian authorities," a British Foreign Office spokeswoman said.

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