VOA常速英语2007年-British Girls in Ghana Await Drug Sentencing

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
21 November 2007

Two British girls found guilty of cocaine¹ smuggling² in Ghana now await sentencing of up to three years in jail. Their lawyers and supporters say they will appeal, saying the girls were victims, rather than traffickers. As VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar, the case has garnered³ lots of media attention amid a surging drug trade through West Africa.

After the guilty verdict was read in a juvenile⁴ court, onlookers⁵ say the two teenagers were bundled into a waiting car, their heads covered by scarves, amid a throng⁶ of journalists.

Ghanaian reporter Roland Walker says many in Ghana initially⁷ thought the girls would be treated with a light hand after their arrest in July.

"It was perceived that because they are British girls and because of the extreme relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom, it would mean they would be treated lightly," said Walkers.

"Initially, when the case was heard, the British High Commission tried to handle the case their own way, but the Attorney General's department, the Justice Ministry⁸, that we have in this country, and the police administration have not relented in the last few months since the case was heard in court," he added.

Sentencing has been scheduled for December 5.

Walker says both local and foreign media have been very interested in the case.

"There has been interest, quite a lot actually, because of trade relations with the U.K. and especially since it has been Ghana's colonial master in the past," he said.

The growing drug trade from South America to euro-bolstered, cash-rich Europe through badly policed West Africa also fascinates media, Walker says, whenever there is a story that can be found.

"In media circles, this case about drug trafficking is a very big one," said Walker. "Over the last two, three years we have had some high profile arrests when it comes to drug smuggling in this country, particularly, we have a case, currently, involving some officials and then some suspected drug barons⁹."

The two British 16-year-old girls from north London were caught July 2 at the Accra airport with about six kilos of cocaine worth more than $600,000 hidden inside laptop bags.

They say they were tricked into the deal by men in London and Ghana who promised them an all-expenses paid vacation, not knowing what they were doing. This argument has been rejected by Ghana's court system.

Anti-drug agents estimate about 20 so-called drug mules¹⁰ travel from West Africa to Britain every week. The arrests in July were carried out by Ghanaian narcotic¹¹ control board officers working as part of a joint¹² British-Ghanaian anti-drug drive called Operation Westbridge.

1 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

2 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

3 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

4 juvenile   

n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的

参考例句：

• For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
• Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

5 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

6 throng   

n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集

参考例句：

• A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
• The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 barons   

男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨

参考例句：

• The barons of Normandy had refused to countenance the enterprise officially. 诺曼底的贵族们拒绝正式赞助这桩买卖。
• The barons took the oath which Stephen Langton prescribed. 男爵们照斯蒂芬？兰顿的指导宣了誓。

10 mules   

骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者

参考例句：

• The cart was pulled by two mules. 两匹骡子拉这辆大车。
• She wore tight trousers and high-heeled mules. 她穿紧身裤和拖鞋式高跟鞋。

11 narcotic   

n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的

参考例句：

• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
• No medical worker is allowed to prescribe any narcotic drug for herself.医务人员不得为自己开处方使用麻醉药品。

12 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。