Teen 'smugglers' trial begins
2007-07-26 14:05
Accra - The trial of two teenage British girls accused of attempting to smuggle $600 000 worth of cocaine began in a Ghana on Thursday, said officials.
Gary Nichols, spokesperson at the British embassy, said the pair was expected to enter pleas at the juvenile court in Ghana's capital, Accra. The hearing was closed to the public.
The pair, both 16-year-old students from London, was detained July 02 at Accra's international airport as they were preparing to return to Britain. Customs officials discovered the cocaine hidden in laptop cases during a search.
The two were provisionally charged with drug possession and drug trafficking. Their case was transferred last week to a juvenile court, where the crimes carried three-year prison terms.
Drug trafficking was growing in West Africa. Cocaine, originating mostly in Colombia, was brought on small planes and dropped off on islands off the West African coast, and later distributed to couriers who carried it on to Europe.
British and Ghanaian officials began working together last year after the number of drug-related arrests at London airports from flights from West Africa began to soar.
One of the girls has said the pair was duped by smugglers and did not know they were serving as drug couriers.
British officials said the two were recruited in London by drug traffickers who promised them a vacation in return for transporting the drugs. They reportedly told their parents they were going on holiday in France.
- AP