Peru drug suspects face 18 years
Peruvian prosecutors have warned that a British and an Irish woman charged with trying to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5 million out of the country could face up to 18 years in jail if they are convicted.
Peruvian prosecutors have warned that a British and an Irish woman charged with trying to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5 million out of the country could face up to 18 years in jail if they are convicted.
Peter Madden, lawyer for Michaela McCollum, has criticised the conditions the 20-year-old is being held in, along with 20-year-old Melissa Reid. Speaking to Sky News he said he has a number of concerns for the two young women.
I have a number of concerns about the conditions. They are far below minimum standards. They are trying to separate the girls, which I am concerned about, as at least at the moment, they have been keeping each others spirits up.
Both girls have been interviewed at length, seven hours separately, and both girls gave very precise details of their ordeal.
Innocent or guilty, they are serving a prison sentence. There is no bail here, and that is a concern.
Melissa Reid and Michaela McCollum appeared in court in Lima, but it is unclear whether they have been charged, their lawyer said.
Two women accused of smuggling 12kg of cocaine into Peru could face up to three years in custody and a maximum of 25 years in prison.
A British woman accused of drug trafficking in Peru said she and her friend "were not smuggling for money, we were smuggling for our lives."