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drug trafficking

PICS: Michaella and Melissa arrive in Peruvian court over drug trafficking charges

Connolly’s lawyer Peter Madden said the Tyrone woman would be protesting her innocence.
4.37pm, 20 Aug 2013
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THE TWO WOMEN at the centre of drug trafficking allegations in Peru have been taken to court.

Peruvian police escorted Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, from Tyrone and Melissa Reid, 20, from Glasgow from the national police anti-drug headquarters earlier.

The pair will either be formally charged for drug trafficking or released. They were allegedly found with around 11kg of cocaine hidden in food packages as they tried to check into a flight bound for Madrid.

Connolly’s lawyer Peter Madden said the Tyrone woman would be protesting her innocence.

Here are the images of the women on their way to court:

PICS: Michaella and Melissa arrive in Peruvian court over drug trafficking charges
1 / 7

  • Peru arrests

    Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly taken from the National Police anti-drug headquarters to court. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

  • Peru arrests

    Michaella McCollum Connolly was taken to court by police car. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

  • Peru arrests

    (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

  • Peru arrests

    (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

  • Peru arrests

    William Reid, Melissa's father, follows his daughter to court. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

  • Peru arrests

    Michaella's brother, Keith, met with her last night ahead of today's trial. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

  • Peru arrests

    Melissa Reid said she was forced to take "these bags" in her luggage. She says she didn't know there were drugs inside them. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)Source: AP/Press Association Images

- More as we get it

Related: Michaella’s brother visits her in Peruvian police custody ahead of trial>

More: Irish priest in Lima: Michaella was ‘conned’ and prisons are ‘violent’>

Also: Irish woman missing in Ibiza found and arrested in Peru over drugs find>

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