Cocaine destroyed in Ghana trial

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Cocaine allegedly seized from two London teenagers accused of being drug mules has been burned by officials outside a court building in Ghana.

The drugs were destroyed as the trial of Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya, both 16, from north London, continued.

Both deny possessing and trying to smuggle more than 13lb (6kg) of cocaine valued at £300,000 from Ghana into the UK in July.

The private court hearing was adjourned until 29 August.

The girls said they were not aware of drugs in their luggage and had been tricked into carrying them.

'Proceeding well'

Defence lawyers in the Ghanaian capital Accra were expected to open their arguments on Wednesday.

However, the hearing was spent determining the best way to dispose of the seized drugs.

Afterwards a spokeswoman for Fair Trials Abroad said the trial was proceeding "well".

"We anticipate the defence will have its opportunity to present its case from next week," she said.

"We continue to provide support to the girls and their families and we are working closely with (their lawyers)."

They are being tried under Ghana's Juvenile Justice Act, which indicates that their trial must be completed within six months and they can only be held on remand for three months.