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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ghana drug arrests shock families | Ghana drug arrests shock families |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| The families of two girls suspected of drugs smuggling in Ghana have said they thought the pair were on a school trip. | The families of two girls suspected of drugs smuggling in Ghana have said they thought the pair were on a school trip. |
| Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya, both aged 16 and from London, were held as they tried to board a plane in Accra while allegedly carrying cocaine. | Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya, both aged 16 and from London, were held as they tried to board a plane in Accra while allegedly carrying cocaine. |
| The pair say they were not aware that the drugs - said to be worth about £300,000 - were in their luggage. | The pair say they were not aware that the drugs - said to be worth about £300,000 - were in their luggage. |
| They appear before court on 18 July. If found guilty they could face at least 10 years in jail. | |
| Catherine Wolthuizen, from Fair Trials Abroad (FTA), said: "The families are totally overwhelmed." | Catherine Wolthuizen, from Fair Trials Abroad (FTA), said: "The families are totally overwhelmed." |
| She said the girls' parents had not even been aware their daughters were in Africa, adding: "They are looking to go out to Ghana as soon as possible." | She said the girls' parents had not even been aware their daughters were in Africa, adding: "They are looking to go out to Ghana as soon as possible." |
| Basic conditions | Basic conditions |
| Yasemin is the daughter of immigrants from Cyprus, while Yatunde is of Nigerian descent. Both are UK citizens. | Yasemin is the daughter of immigrants from Cyprus, while Yatunde is of Nigerian descent. Both are UK citizens. |
| The Foreign Office said the pair were arrested at Kotoka International Airport on 2 July and charged with possessing and attempting to export an illegal substance. | |
| "There is no prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Ghana," said Ms Wolthuizen. | "There is no prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Ghana," said Ms Wolthuizen. |
| "So if they are found guilty they could end up serving their sentence in a Ghanaian prison. | "So if they are found guilty they could end up serving their sentence in a Ghanaian prison. |
| "Prisons conditions there are very basic. The girls will be reliant on the High Commission to provide them with food." | "Prisons conditions there are very basic. The girls will be reliant on the High Commission to provide them with food." |
| It was basically like a set-up Yasemin Vatansever | It was basically like a set-up Yasemin Vatansever |
| FTA is ensuring the girls have proper legal representation in Ghana and is providing support to their families in the UK. | FTA is ensuring the girls have proper legal representation in Ghana and is providing support to their families in the UK. |
| Ghanaian authorities were said to have found the drugs in laptop bags carried by the girls. | Ghanaian authorities were said to have found the drugs in laptop bags carried by the girls. |
| Two Ghanaian men apparently paid for the teenagers' accommodation in Accra. | Two Ghanaian men apparently paid for the teenagers' accommodation in Accra. |
| The girls have told police the men gave them the laptop bags. | The girls have told police the men gave them the laptop bags. |
| Yasemin told Channel 4 News on Thursday night they were tricked into carrying drugs to London. | Yasemin told Channel 4 News on Thursday night they were tricked into carrying drugs to London. |
| Speaking by telephone from prison in Accra, she said: "There were basically two boys over here who gave us two bags and told us... it was an empty bag. | Speaking by telephone from prison in Accra, she said: "There were basically two boys over here who gave us two bags and told us... it was an empty bag. |
| "We never thought anything bad was inside... and they told us to go to the UK and drop it off to some boy... at the airport." | "We never thought anything bad was inside... and they told us to go to the UK and drop it off to some boy... at the airport." |
| "It was basically like a set-up. They didn't tell us nothing, we didn't think nothing, because basically we are innocent. | |
| "We don't know nothing about this drugs and stuff." | "We don't know nothing about this drugs and stuff." |