Girls caught smuggling drugs..

[Fergie]

Yep me too, I'm pretty sure that there are plenty of people out there that are willing to go, why would they need to force these girls?

I've watched many episodes of banged up abroad and all of them go with the promise of free holiday, shopping and all expenses paid and when they get caught they all say they were threatened and forced.

Yep, that was going through my head. They usually involve someone working abroad who has pissed all their money against the wall and couldn't afford to get home. Someone comes along and offers them money to get home along with a fabulous holiday and they jump at the chance.

That was me ... but I just married a local

 

[Foogirl]

Yep, that was going through my head. They usually involve someone working abroad who has pissed all their money against the wall and couldn't afford to get home. Someone comes along and offers them money to get home along with a fabulous holiday and they jump at the chance.

That was me ... but I just married a local

Far less likely to be arrested for that

 

[Fergie]

Yep, that was going through my head. They usually involve someone working abroad who has pissed all their money against the wall and couldn't afford to get home. Someone comes along and offers them money to get home along with a fabulous holiday and they jump at the chance.

That was me ... but I just married a local

Far less likely to be arrested for that

I don't know. I could have killed him at times

 

[kerrie24]

I don't believe them either!

 

[PepsiChic]

Theres a program called "Locked Up Abroad" one of the episodes follow 2 young girls who are caught being drug mules....sounds similar right?

They have an "all expense" paid vacation to go and are expected to carry the dugs and get paid for it. quick cash.

I believe the girls are guilty. drug smuggling with young girls in peru is very common.

I found the episode!
https://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/locked-up-abroad/videos/locked-up-abroad-peru/

 

[bumpy_j]

I haven't got an opinion really on whether I believe them as not much evidence from either side has come to light yet - the newspapers seem to have already made their mind up on the matter though (their party drug history has nothing to do with this). I am relieved that Peru doesn't hold a death sentence for drug trafficking.

However, I am worried about the way that these countries handle mules. IMO, the wisest thing to do would be to follow them on towards wherever they were planning to travel to, and arrest whomever was on the other side. A highly publicized arrest with a harsh sentence hardly does anything for the war on drugs. Cartels and Drug rings are far more powerful than people seem to want to give credit to, and there could be the fear over whether they could have infiltrated the police. IMO they are going for the wrong people - these are not the masterminds.

These rings could have your ID, phone, address, photos of your family - would you really trust the police(especially in a place you don't know very well) if you've been viciously blackmailed? Some people might, but I think the fear and adrenaline pumping through your veins could lead you to make some irrational decisions.

Not to mention that these girls are pretty young, and could have been groomed for this simultaneously - being told that 'no-one actually cares about drug trafficking in Peru - the Government gets a cut' or 'the Police are in on it too' - whatever, something that could have made them think it was safer to attempt it.

Or maybe they just did it for money

 

[suzib76]

I think they are totally guilty. The story about being forced is rediculous, even if they did at some point wave a gun and tell them to do it, nobody walked them through the airport with a gun at their head, nobody travelled with them carrying a gun, they would have had ample opportunity to ask for help

 

[MommyJogger]

I haven't got an opinion (.........) it for money

This was a really thoughtful post. Just wanted to say that, really. Gave me more to think about re this case.

 

[Tiff]

I agree, mommyjogger!

 

[babyjan]

More information on the case incase anyone hasn't seen it.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...g-families-Pringles-Nutella-hair-remover.html

I don't know if anyone noticed but they've swapped clothes with each other, I don't get it don't they have any of their clothes?

 

[suzib76]

Just looks like they have swapped jacket for long sleeved top - maybe one was colder then the other?

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I haven't got an opinion really on whether I believe them as not much evidence from either side has come to light yet - the newspapers seem to have already made their mind up on the matter though (their party drug history has nothing to do with this). I am relieved that Peru doesn't hold a death sentence for drug trafficking.

However, I am worried about the way that these countries handle mules. IMO, the wisest thing to do would be to follow them on towards wherever they were planning to travel to, and arrest whomever was on the other side. A highly publicized arrest with a harsh sentence hardly does anything for the war on drugs. Cartels and Drug rings are far more powerful than people seem to want to give credit to, and there could be the fear over whether they could have infiltrated the police. IMO they are going for the wrong people - these are not the masterminds.

These rings could have your ID, phone, address, photos of your family - would you really trust the police(especially in a place you don't know very well) if you've been viciously blackmailed? Some people might, but I think the fear and adrenaline pumping through your veins could lead you to make some irrational decisions.

Not to mention that these girls are pretty young, and could have been groomed for this simultaneously - being told that 'no-one actually cares about drug trafficking in Peru - the Government gets a cut' or 'the Police are in on it too' - whatever, something that could have made them think it was safer to attempt it.

Or maybe they just did it for money

I agree with this. I think the way the media have handled it is awful.
It's really sad whether they're guilty or not. Either way they've been completely lied to and manipulated into doing it and I believe that's why they looked so relaxed in the tape. I think it's only sinking in for them that whatever they've been told about what would happen if they got caught isn't going to happen and there's no-one going to help them out.
Even if they did just do it for the money, they're just two young girls who made a stupid mistake. They are not the problem. Sticking them in a cell until they are old and grey will not do anything to combat drug trafficking.
It honestly just makes me so sad, the whole thing.

 

[smileyfaces]

Im not sure what I believe actually. Overwhelming evidence to say they are guilty but they could well be telling the truth?

I actually feel a bit sorry for them. They are young and seem very naiive and I dont think it will take long for them to fall to pieces in one of those Peruvian jails.

I cant even imagine what their families are going through. I agree with Bumpy though, surely the people at the centre of the drug smuggling saga should be found as opposed to subjecting these two girls to all of this. If they are guilty of being in on it all then yes of course they should be punished but for Gods sake, it would make much more sense for them to catch the real masterminds behind the whole thing because I'd bet my life that these two girls didnt plan this all themselves.

 

[Foogirl]

I disagree that punishing mules is the wrong way to go. Making it clear to people on the street that there is a severe punishment for this takes away a valuable resource for smugglers. As I understand it most mules are not being used by a massive drugs cartel with lots of contacts but by one or two fairly small time individuals with one off connections. So someone drugs running will rarely take several large hauls for the same supplier.

I just don't understand the "their life was at risk" argument if they didn't do it. Their life was also at risk if they did do it. Now they are facing a life sentence in jail, and many end up facing a death penalty.

We all did stupid things when we were young, but to say this should be taken into consideration isn't really right. How many of us did stupid things that put other people's lives at risk? These were two women working abroad. They are not children and how many times do we have the younger mums on here berating people for assuming they are silly little things that have no idea what they are doing? There are women the same age as these two, on this board who are married with children. Twenty years old doesn't make you stupid or naive.

 

[lhancock90]

I disagree that punishing mules is the wrong way to go. Making it clear to people on the street that there is a severe punishment for this takes away a valuable resource for smugglers. As I understand it most mules are not being used by a massive drugs cartel with lots of contacts but by one or two fairly small time individuals with one off connections. So someone drugs running will rarely take several large hauls for the same supplier.

I just don't understand the "their life was at risk" argument if they didn't do it. Their life was also at risk if they did do it. Now they are facing a life sentence in jail, and many end up facing a death penalty.

We all did stupid things when we were young, but to say this should be taken into consideration isn't really right. How many of us did stupid things that put other people's lives at risk? These were two women working abroad. They are not children and how many times do we have the younger mums on here berating people for assuming they are silly little things that have no idea what they are doing? There are women the same age as these two, on this board who are married with children. Twenty years old doesn't make you stupid or naive.

Like the judge said, they had ample opportunity to seek help. They didn't. Actions must have consequences.

 

[bumpy_j]

But if you withdraw the mules from the flightpath, the person on the other side gets away. I didn't say mules shouldn't be punished full stop, I said I don't see why they get the brunt of it whilst there are probably far more logical steps to take. Whilst mules get the harshest sentences, people will carry on blackmailing tourists - and inexperienced teens/younger people are generally easier to manipulate as their knowledge of legalities may not be as acute as an older adults. The best way to fight against the blackmail IMO, is to use mules as a snitch - barter their potential sentences with whatever information they provide. Then we will perhaps see less inexperienced tourists being riskily used for such things.

Take Lindsay Sandiford - she is being put to death for her involvement as a drug mule. Yet, other members of the ring (and arguably the masterminds) received far less harsh punishments. As she was the one found with the drugs, she is therefore seen as the most responsible. Yet mules are the ones that are easily the most susceptible to blackmail. I find it hard to believe that people are so dismissive of these blackmail claims, when it is totally easy enough to undercarry.

 

[Foogirl]

I'd be more likely to believe it if it was standard MO for drug smugglers, but it isn't. If there are so many vulnerable people out there who can be exploited, then why would they need to use blackmail? And again, teenagers/young people are not particularly easy to manipulate - ask anyone who lives with them!! Most twenty year olds are more than capable of avoiding being drawn into this kind of thing. Not only that, but drugs mules are actually more likely to be older than 20 so the theory of smugglers targetting young people isn't accurate.

 

[suzib76]

As far as I see it everybody in life has choices, they chose to do what they did

Whether the story is true about blackmail or not, ultimately they chose to go through with it.

They always had a choice, they always had options, they chose their path

 

[babyjan]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...Michaella-McCollum-Connolly-village-fete.html

lol

 

[lhancock90]

Y'know what annoys me most. Her goddamned top bun.