Peru drugs arrest: British women charged with smuggling £1.5m cocaine as father pleads their innocence

Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid, both 20, were arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle 24lb of cocaine hidden inside food packages out of Peru last month.

peru-hero

by Jessica Anais Rach |
Published on

The two women have now been formally charged, and are expected to be transferred to a prison from their holding cell while they await trial.

They could face 3 years in prison if refused bail while they await their hearing, and a maximum of 15 years in prison if they are found guilty.

Reid from Glasgow, and McCollum from Northern Ireland, have been detained in custody for the past two weeks amid the drug trafficking allegations.

Michaella and Melissa face media questioning following their arrest in Peru
Michaella and Melissa face media questioning following their arrest in Peru

MacCollum’s lawyer has expressed his concern over their living conditions, explaining:

‘The conditions inside the holding cells are pretty grim. They are expected to lie almost on the floor. There is a sort of sponge bed which is not acceptable, it is not clean.

‘They have not been offered any food. To me that is unacceptable.’

Both women deny the allegations, claiming they were forced to act as drugs mules by armed men.

However their version of events has been questioned, after pictures emerged of the twosome enjoying cocktails on the beach prior to their arrest.

Melissa's father William Reid has spoken out in defence of his daughter

Addressing these revelations, Melissa’s father William Reid claims they were told to post pictures of themselves acting as normal holiday-makers.

‘I want to know who took that picture of them on their balcony. Was it taken by a third person or by a minder, and who was drinking the beer?’ he asked.

'Michaella has never been in trouble with the police in her life’

‘I believe the trip to the beach was part of a set-up that they asked them to smile to build up a portrayal of them as happy holidaymakers.

‘I can only go by what I have been firmly told by the girls. The two girls' stories are very tight, very consistent, with a lot of detail and they seem to be telling the truth, as far as I can gauge’, he explained to a newspaper.

Michaella's photo shoot before going abroad

McCollum’s lawyer echoed Reid’s claims of innocence, adding:

‘Michaella McCollum did not owe any money to any drugs dealer, she was not and is not involved in the drugs trade, she has no criminal record, she has never been in trouble with the police in her life.’

'I don't think these two girls were forced to do this'

But head of organised crime unit in Ibiza, Alberto Arian Barilla, disagrees, explaining:

‘In my experience, I don't think these two girls were forced to do this because - particularly when you go to South America - you need to pass several controls.

‘The first thing you do is go to the passport control and say “listen, this is what is happening to me”. The policeman will react so I don't think they were forced.’

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