Two British Women Held In Peruvian Prison On Charges Of Drug Smuggling

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389737/Terrified-British-girls-locked-Peruvian-hellhole-jail-smuggling-1-5million-cocaine-hysterical-eaten-seven-days.html

Has anyone any sympathy for these two, if the charges against them are proven to be true?

[netibiza]

No, because here in Ibiza we have been searching for them for at least 12 days before this was discovered. Stupid girls.

[albaqwerty]

Would it be too far off the mark to suggest she met people in Ibiza, she then went to Peru and was arrested when she booked her flight to Madrid from Peru?
Having been given the usual, 'your luggage is never checked' etc etc, and it's a quick and easy way to earn money?

Naive to say the least.

[netibiza]

It also has to be said that the FaceBook campaign to find the girls, did them no favours!

[netibiza]

It makes no difference where the girls met these people - surely by now everyone is aware of importing drugs and the risks.

[netibiza]

They were arrested at the Air Europe check-in desk.

[andy-hughes]

Neti - "It makes no difference where the girls met these people - surely by now everyone is aware of importing drugs and the risks."

You are absolutely right - but you still need to factor in human nature.

If everyone in society didn't do what they knew to be wrong, then crime would vanish overnight.

But people just aren't like that - are they?

[237SJ]

I can`t say I have an awful lot of sympathy as they must have known they were doing something dodgy being that they didn`t tell anyone they were going to Peru and unless someone put something in their suitcases without them knowing, they must have lied when asked "Did you pack your case yourself/could anyone have tampered with it" etc at check in.

[albaqwerty]

It might all come out in the wash, so to speak.

[netibiza]

yes 12 days we were searching the island and not one word from them to their parents or friends saying where they were, that in itself shows they knew they were doing something that would not be approved of.

[andy-hughes]

237SJ - As I said, I sympathise with these women only in so far as they have been naive and wreckless, and the punishment they are likely to receive far outweighs that naivity.

That said, the law is clear, and any traveller goes through security checks and they either lied, or were ready to lie, depending on when they were arrested.

I am always keen to see the best in people, and acknowledge that people do stupid things - but that does not mean that they should not facec their punishment - hopefully it will deter others, but experience dictates otherwise.

[sandyRoe]

The dealers will think the mules were expendable. They'll be more worried about the loss of their drugs.
It's a pity about these young women. The classic story, 'I didn't know what was in the bag', never impresses the courts much.

[sp1814]

This thing about them being in Peru...they will need to come up with an incredibly watertight reason for that.

[andy-hughes]

As I mentioned sandy - dealers accept the loss of a proportion of their drugs cargo as an occupational hazard, it is probably of little consequence given the size and spread of their vile trade.

As for the loss of the mules, that is of less than no consequence.

[albaqwerty]

last I heard was that the drugs were to the street value of £1.5million.

Not exactly for personal use then was it? How much does that sort of stuff weigh? Where was it found in their luggage? (Behind the lining for example?)

Just curious.

[sandyRoe]

11 kilos hidden in food.

[andy-hughes]

As I understand it alber - the packages were sitting on top of the luggage, not even any concealment attempted.

No doubt the ladies believed the 'They never check ...' line.

[Meg888]

I do have sympathy, as I have a very guillable daughter not much younger than the 19yr old, who could easily be talked into doing something like this by some 'charmer' dare I let have a hol/job abroad (which I will do my damnest that she doesn't!). And also if they are guilty they have my sympathy, because they have probably been foolishly naive, as many have, without even beginning to contemplate the bigger picture. I rarely took notice of the news at that age, preferring to have fun instead.....

[albaqwerty]

Andy, thanks, I think Sandy has it nailed, I remember that one line comment from the news about it being in food.

Makes one of those brownie thingies baked with hash sound interesting.

Very silly young women. Peruvian jails aren't exactly wonderful.

[Infomaniac]

I suppose I have a little sympathy because of the dreadful conditions in Peruvian jails, but they knew what they were doing was illegal and immoral, but clearly willing gamble that they would get away with it - they lost and now have to pay the price. The fact that they concealed the trip to Peru from everybody who knew them implies subterfuge and total awareness that what they doing would not be approved of by their friends and families. They have probably ruined their and their families' lives by trying to make what they must have thought was easy money in this heinous drug trade.

[andy-hughes]

Yes alba - i stand corrected re. the transport arrangements.

But as seasoned travellers know, the airport authorities are very very good at picking up non-typical travel arrangements, as they did here.