British Couple Held in Turkey After Thai Flight

Just now, DonniePeverley said:

Whenever i see these chavy type tourists in Thailand, i always think they are mules.

These lot usually go to Magaluf and Benidorm. They seem to be attracted to Thailand ever since the drugs laws have been relaxed, like flies to feaces.

Good to see you've thrown in another destination besides your usual Benidorm!😅😅😅

Not sure what's in this for the Turks if they were just transiting. They could have just notified the British authorities and let them incur the cost of dealing with them.

(Though, I don't think it costs much to keep someone in a Turkish prison for a decade or 3).

Sad to see people's lives being ruined because of a harmless herb named Cannabis. Never mind they were careless or "stupid". There are things you should never go to jail for. Carrying some dried out plant matter is one of them.

Should have kept your influencer job.

Definitely not a place you want to spend in jail...

Just now, Georgealbert said:

A family friend described them as “good kids” and said they had made a serious mistake.

Well that's okay then , slap on the wrist and tell them not to do it again.

Just now, Georgealbert said:

They’ve been recruited and groomed by bigger criminals and exploited by them.”

In reality , they have been paid to carry and they have got caught.
Why is it always everybody elses fault nowadays ?

tech test

I'm guessing nobody is looking into how all these suitcases full of drugs get onto planes in bkk 🙄

groomed by drug gangs is getting to be a common excuse. They just tried to make an illegal few quld. Perfect lsw abiding citizens according to the family. A Crowd fund and lots of doogooders misguided sympathy on the way.

In the photos, the woman seems to have swollen lips. Do you think the Turkish police hit her? 🫨

No sympathy for these two.

They took the risk and now will pay the price.

a trip to Gran Canaria... then suddenly Thailand and back with a suitcases full of drugs...

does not sound like some regular 'good kids' just making a mistake.

Also strange they got pulled out in Istanbul (assuming they had the luggage checked through)

But maybe they booked different airlines and had to collect the luggage?

On the bright side, it could be worse if they would have travelled via SIngapore for instance....

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Silly sods. And I don't believe the Midnight Express is running these days.

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

2 hours ago, ozz1 said:

Have they not seen midnight express idiots!

Probably before their time....48 years ago now!

Midnight Express was my first thought when reading the OP!

Not that it's relevant but I watched it the week before I left for my first Middle East job (not that Turkey is actually in the ME).

Sure as hell made me think!!!

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Have the families started the Go Fund Me's yet?

Neither of them will spend more than 12 months locked up.

Expect a ton of publicity about their "ordeal" and the "injustice" and the "appalling prison conditions".

😭

Just now, Rockyroad said:

Pot should be legal everywhere

They were to transit in Turkey having over 90% of the population is registered as Muslims with suitcases filled with cannabis.

"Pot is generally illegal and strictly prohibited in most Muslim-majority countries, with severe penalties for possession or consumption."

Ignorance has a price.

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

A young British couple are facing up to 30 years in a Turkish prison after being accused of attempting to smuggle suitcases filled with cannabis to the UK. Holly Cooper and Taylor Johnson, both 20, were arrested on April 26 shortly after landing in Istanbul on a flight from Thailand, as they attempted to catch a connecting flight to London.

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Turkish officers reportedly stopped the pair for questioning at the airport before detaining them. They were initially placed in an overcrowded holding cell, where Mr Johnson was allegedly beaten, according to claims made by family members. Following a court hearing, the couple were formally arrested and transferred to a local prison, where they may wait up to a year before their trial.

Family friends have claimed the couple were groomed by organised criminals while on a trip to Gran Canaria and were exploited into acting as drug mules. Ms Cooper had shared images from the trip online and the pair later travelled to Thailand before beginning their return journey via Turkey.

A family friend described them as “good kids” and said they had made a serious mistake. Speaking to The Sun, the friend said: “OK, they’ve done something stupid this time, but everyone makes mistakes. They’ve been recruited and groomed by bigger criminals and exploited by them.”

The couple currently do not have private legal representation and will be assigned public defenders. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by friends to help raise funds, though it has so far collected 455 pounds in five days. The organiser acknowledged that fundraising may be controversial but said those who know Mr Johnson believe he would help others in need.

The Daily Mail reported that the UK Foreign Office confirmed it is providing support to two British nationals detained in Turkey and is in contact with their families. If convicted, the pair face a minimum sentence of 10 years, with the possibility of up to 30 years under Turkish law.

Pictures courtesy of Daily Mail

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Fresh meat for the Midnight Express. 🤷🏼

Just now, ronster said:

I'm guessing nobody is looking into how all these suitcases full of drugs get onto planes in bkk 🙄

There, they did what was being hoped for in Istanbul.

I don't know what the policy is and how thorough the outbound checks are. Flag it and arrest where located, or let the next station know and they can sort it all out.

Lot of folks loading up their bags in THailand though! Fake Lacoste T-Shirts and football shirts must be less lucrative.

Just now, WDSmart said:

In the photos, the woman seems to have swollen lips. Do you think the Turkish police hit her? 🫨

No, her lips look like she just finished satisfying about 20 Turkish police officers

"Good kids"...555.... going in the Midnight Express...

Suitcases full of cannabis - now that should be easy to get through security at an airport.

And now a GoFundMe account for two idiots and people are actually putting money in it? How about a GoStraightToJail card where they can spend years in a sh@t hole prison rethinking of how dumb can I be?

No pity for this level of stupidity and anyone who contributes to GFM also needs a mental checkup.

Just now, jacko45k said:

Probably before their time....48 years ago now!

He should expect the morning exercise routine

For a pair of 20 year olds they travel well most probably their chosen trade do the crime do the time ENJOY !!!!

Just now, save the frogs said:

Beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her does something stupid.

Sad story.

The <deleted>.

Which pics are you looking at ?

Grooming: "we will pay you to smuggle drugs"... "Sounds good"

Just now, flaming dragon said:

Beautiful? She looks like a 40 year old sow.

sow? She looks more like a chipmunk to me.

4 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

It'll be a long time before she gets any more lip filler.

Hey, at least a stay in a Turkish prison will help her lose a lot of weight without any Ozempic!

Not necessary. Apparently, Turkish prison guards have a soft spot for inmates with a bit more body on them.