To not feel any sympathy for drug-smuggling women?

[DarceyBissell]

Just that really. Two young women facing 25 years in a Peruvian jail for trying to smuggle 11kg of cocaine. Saw they described as 'vulnerable' in one paper. Hardly. Greedy and stupid though.

I don't wish shame on them dione. shame would probably my second feeling after panic if caught doing what they have done. I think it would be extremely odd if they don't feel ashamed tbh. if my dcs did it, it would still be shameful. i'm not sure why my dcs doing it would make that any different- at 19/20 it would be their own decisions, not mine but I would be ashamed of their actions.

and what pain are you talking about dione?

I would think they are probably too busy feeling terrified to feel much else at this point.

Users fund the international (and national) drugs industry.

Anybody capable of experiencing shame would not be a willing drugs mule. A person forced into this role has nothing to be ashamed of.

So not sure where it feels into the equation.

Terrified is probably more likely.

Stephen, at what age do you think you achieved adult, independent thinking? Free from worrying about popularity, progression and profit?

PumpkinPositive, just thought I'd mention the 'bun' is a hairpiece called 'The Doughnut'. Easy to maintain..just pin & go. & the leather jacket is a Chanel

"Free from worrying about popularity, progression and profit?"

firstly, these things do not equate to being adult. many many adults still chase these things til the end of their days.

secondly, I was a mum with a full time job and my own house plus the guardian for a younger cousin by the time I was 19 so I would consider myself to have been an adult then. I know 35 year olds who party like 17 year olds with drugs every weekend, live in their sister's spare bedroom and float from one college course to the other every couple of years. but none of this means anything because the legality of it is at 18 you are an adult and responsible for whatever actions you take.

Stephen, how would you feel if it was your DC in this circumstance?

well I cant say for sure as it's not my dcs but I am guessing a mixture of furious and gutted tbh.

how would you feel?

Dione, the trouble with your theory of them being the "patsy" is that they were found with cocaine worth £1.5 million. The "patsy" would have had far, far less wasted on them.

Anyway, they'll do a couple of years - nothing like a Thai hole, brand-new jail in Lima specially built for delicate young European drug smugglers (all of whom were forced into it, natch).

And upon their release? Hello Max Clifford? They'll have their kit off in magazines telling their Peruvian Drugs Nightmare story.

Your sympathy is misplaced people. They are greedy liars. Saw an opportunity to make a fast buck and now they pay the price.

I would be devastated. I would swap places with them in a second. Just as I wished I could when they are sick. Just as I wished I could when they are heart-broken. Just as I wished I could when they have been taken advantage of. By anyone.

I repeat, how would you feel if this happened to -your DC Stephen?

I have answered that question. why are you asking it again as if I haven't?

and i'm not so sure this is something that has happened to these girls as I am that it's a situation they have put themselves in.

Periodmath, no DEA is ever going to say "we got a tip off and found 6kgs of absolute shite", whilst letting the major haul go through".

I have been involved with and worked with all manner of users and police officers through the decades. Some caught, some not. Have you ever heard of anyone down-playing a drugs haul?

I haven't said they went to Ibiza with that intention. however, there was a point whilst there where they decided on a course of action. they are responsible for making that decision and have created this situation they are now in. it was not something that simply happened to them. having the drugs planted on them without them having any knowledge would have been something that happened to them.

They're still saying they were threatened with a gun, and their family members were threatened. I must say I wondered, like the judge, why they didn't ask for help at the airport, but maybe their story is true and the drugs geezer had scared them that much. As noted before, young people on holiday can be pretty stupid ... and I imagine most Brits are impressionable when having a loaded gun pointed at them.

It's impossible really hard to tell. I'm another who'd like to see all drugs decriminalised, so as to reduce the power of these gangs. If they can just ship the damn drugs with DHL, they won't need to find mules.

Ibiza? I thought we were still in Peru?

I shouldn't skip the middle of threads, should I

they are in peru- they travelled there from Ibiza where they were working.

Speak for yourself Maryz, I would never have smuggled drugs, at that age or any other, absolutely never.

There but for the grace of god - are you kidding me?

I went to Peru when I was 20 - didn't end up in jail.

should also add that they were flying back to spain and not the UK as someone upthread seemed to believe.

You make very good points, Dione.

Also, I met a trafficker in rehab (true story!) She was addicted to the excitement. She'd been doing it for seven years, never been caught.

She went back :( She said she knew she was lucky to still be alive, but couldn't settle in normal life.