'It's alarming that drug gangs are still luring young women'

'PERU Two' drug mule Michaella McCollum has said it's alarming that young women are still being targeted by drugs gangs to transport narcotics.

- DANNY DE VAAL

The Tyrone woman, who spent three years in a jail in Peru on smuggling charges, made the remarks in the wake of the arrest of Bella May Culley, 18, and Charlotte May Lee, 21 for alleged drug smuggling.

Michaella part of the infamous Peru Two with Scottish woman Melissa Reid, had been sentenced to more than six years’ imprisonment in 2013, but was granted early release in 2016.

The two were caught at Jorge Chávez International Airport in August 2013 with 11kg of cocaine in their suitcases hidden in cereal packets. It was worth almost €2 million.

Michaella appeared on TV show Good Morning Britain yesterday to discuss the recent high-profile arrests of Culley in Georgia and Lee in Sri Lanka.