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18/12/2013
'Peru Two' Sentenced
Two women arrested in Peru on suspicion of drug smuggling have been sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.
Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, County Tyrone and Melissa Reid from near Glasgow in Scotland will serve their sentences in Peru.
The two 20-year-olds were arrested at the airport in Lima as they attempted to board a plane to Spain, where they had been working over the summer.
But custom officials stopped the women as they believed them to be acting 'suspiciously' and subsequently discovered 11kg of cocaine wrapped in food parcels.
Both women claim they knew the drugs were in their luggage, but that they were forced into acting as mules for a gang.
The pair have already served four months in custody, which has been taken into consideration during sentencing. Their earlier 'not guilty' pleas were later changed to 'guilty' in a bid to reduce their sentencing.
They had faced a maximum of 15 years in prison if the case went to trial and they were found guilty.
(IT/MH)
Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, County Tyrone and Melissa Reid from near Glasgow in Scotland will serve their sentences in Peru.
The two 20-year-olds were arrested at the airport in Lima as they attempted to board a plane to Spain, where they had been working over the summer.
But custom officials stopped the women as they believed them to be acting 'suspiciously' and subsequently discovered 11kg of cocaine wrapped in food parcels.
Both women claim they knew the drugs were in their luggage, but that they were forced into acting as mules for a gang.
The pair have already served four months in custody, which has been taken into consideration during sentencing. Their earlier 'not guilty' pleas were later changed to 'guilty' in a bid to reduce their sentencing.
They had faced a maximum of 15 years in prison if the case went to trial and they were found guilty.
(IT/MH)
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