CTindex - Christian Today UK Interactive Catalogue
World

Ghana court convicts UK teenage girls over drugs

Posted: Wednesday, November 21, 2007, 12:05 (GMT)
Font Scale:A A A

A court in Ghana on Wednesday found two British teenage girls guilty of smuggling cocaine in the West African country, the prosecuting lawyer said.

Sentencing was deferred until December 5, lawyer Evelyn Keelson told Reuters. The two girls, both aged 16, face up to three years in jail.

Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya were arrested on July 2 at Accra's Kotoka airport after Ghanaian anti-drugs officers said they found 6 kg (13 lbs) of cocaine in two laptop bags the girls were carrying as they boarded a flight to Britain.

The girls, who had pleaded not guilty, initially told British TV after their arrest they were tricked into carrying the laptop bags by male acquaintances in Ghana and Britain and that they did not know what was in them.

Ghanaian police investigators said a Ghanaian man had promised the two cash and a paid holiday if they successfully delivered the cocaine to London.

The teenagers were arrested under Operation Westbridge, a project set up by Britain and Ghana to tackle drug smugglers using Accra airport as a gateway to Britain and Europe.

West Africa has become an important staging post for Colombian cocaine on its way to lucrative European markets.



© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
Have your say on this article
Christian Aid Christmas
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here
Siloam Christian Ministries
World Headline
Iraq: The fear of massacre

Iraq: The fear of massacre

Up to 20 Christians have been killed in just 10 days as fears of an impending massacre grip the Iraqi city of Mosul.
Sponsored Features
The independent Christian Bank providing competitive Personal and Church Savings, Church Mortgages and Church Insurance. Friendly printing company for churches, charities and businesses nationwide! Professional website design and web development for businesses and charities
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here