Archbishop in Peru believes Scottish and Irish young women were 'set up' over drugs

[lizardley]

After prison visit, an Irish-American archbishop in Peru believes that Scottish teenager Melissa Reid, 19, who was arrested alongside her Irish friend, Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, on suspicion of drug trafficking, has been ‘set up.’

If charged and convicted of the illicit cocaine smuggling charges, the women, who travelled independently to Ibiza to work for the summer, could face sentences of between 10-25 years in one of the harshest prison regimes in the world.

Full report: sconews.co.uk/news/30711/archbishop-scottish-and-irish-young-women-were-set-up-over-drugs-in-peru/

 

[SuperLuigi]

After prison visit, an Irish-American archbishop in Peru believes that Scottish teenager Melissa Reid, 19, who was arrested alongside her Irish friend, Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, on suspicion of drug trafficking, has been ‘set up.’

If charged and convicted of the illicit cocaine smuggling charges, the women, who travelled independently to Ibiza to work for the summer, could face sentences of between 10-25 years in one of the harshest prison regimes in the world.

Full report: sconews.co.uk/news/30711/archbishop-scottish-and-irish-young-women-were-set-up-over-drugs-in-peru/

If true, this would be bad for the tourism over there.

 

[St_Francis]

If true, this would be bad for the tourism over there.

Ibiza is one of the Belearic Islands off the coast of Spain–a huge party place. Peru is not so much of a tourist destination, but the government is apparently working really hard trying to get the drug situation under control.

It seems that people in Ibiza get the young people who come these involved in drugs and the start to ise them to transpost drugs. AFAICT, these girls are saying they were forced to take the trip and did not know they had the drugs in their suitcases.

 

[pepipop]

As young headstrong teenagers, I would pray for leniency and that they be set free whatever the outcome.

I do find it difficult to believe they were coerced into it, as they had to be taken from Spain to Peru and restrained there until their return flight to Spain, several weeks later. Neither girl had told their families where they have been for the past 2 weeks, and were missing until they were caught at the airport, in Peru. They obviously did not go to Peru on holiday, as they would have informed their families, so were either taken there or went knowing what they would be asked to do.

However, as young teenage girls they may have been stupid enough to try to smuggle drugs, I sincerely hope not for their sakes.