Teenage British girls on Ghana drugs charges

Two teenage British girls arrested in Ghana for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine to Britain in laptop cases are expected to appear in court.

The pair, both 16-year-old students from Islington, north London, were detained on July 2 at Accra airport.

Customs officials discovered £300,000 (€446,000) worth of cocaine and the two were provisionally charged with drug possession and drug trafficking. If convicted, they face at least 10 years in prison in Ghana.

Mark Ewuntomah, who is leading an investigation team from Ghana’s Narcotics Control Board, said the girls’ expected appearance would likely be brief.

He said his team would ask for more time to complete its investigation.

Gary Nichols, head of Public Affairs at the British High Commission in Accra, said his office has been taking care of the girls’ needs, including daily meals.

He told the Associated Press the two were “doing fine” and had chosen a team of Ghanaian lawyers for the trial out of a list made available to them by the High Commission.