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Girls guilty in Ghana drugs case Girls guilty in Ghana drugs case
(about 1 hour later)
Two British 16-year-old girls have been found guilty of trying to smuggle cocaine from Ghana to the UK.Two British 16-year-old girls have been found guilty of trying to smuggle cocaine from Ghana to the UK.
Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya, both of north London, were arrested at an airport in Accra on 2 July.Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya, both of north London, were arrested at an airport in Accra on 2 July.
They denied the charge of attempting to smuggle more than 6kg (13lbs) of the drug on a BA flight to London.They denied the charge of attempting to smuggle more than 6kg (13lbs) of the drug on a BA flight to London.
The girls were found guilty by a Ghanaian court and could face up to three years in a juvenile detention facility when sentenced on 5 December.The girls were found guilty by a Ghanaian court and could face up to three years in a juvenile detention facility when sentenced on 5 December.
The BBC's Will Ross in Accra said the girls will appeal against the verdict.The BBC's Will Ross in Accra said the girls will appeal against the verdict.
Laptop bags "They are very upset at the moment," said lawyer Sabine Zanker, of Fair Trials Abroad, after the 90-minute hearing in a closed juvenile court.
Ruthlessly exploited
"Their families are very deeply disappointed about the verdict."
She added: "These are two extremely vulnerable young girls whose naivety was ruthlessly exploited by the man who lured them to Ghana and led them to this terrible fate."
They had told the court they were set up, but the prosecution said they were involved from the start in a plot to smuggle drugs.They had told the court they were set up, but the prosecution said they were involved from the start in a plot to smuggle drugs.
The girls have already spent nearly five months in custody after they were arrested with laptop bags containing cocaine.The girls have already spent nearly five months in custody after they were arrested with laptop bags containing cocaine.
Transfer agreement
But neither girl remains in custody and left the court after the hearing on Wednesday.But neither girl remains in custody and left the court after the hearing on Wednesday.
They are being tried under Ghana's Juvenile Justice Act which means their trial had to be completed within six months.They are being tried under Ghana's Juvenile Justice Act which means their trial had to be completed within six months.
Since British Customs officials started working with their Ghanaian counterparts a year ago drugs with a street value of more than £60m have been intercepted en route from Ghana to Europe. Since British Customs officials started working with their Ghanaian counterparts a year ago, drugs with a street value of more than £60m have been intercepted en route from Ghana to Europe.
Ms Zanker added that it is unlikely the girls would be able to serve their sentence in the UK as, at the moment, there is no transfer agreement between the two countries.