Missing twins found… in jail in Switzerland

The 22-year-old Angolan twin sisters reported missing after disappearing from Portugal have been found, in jail in Switzerland.

According to tabloid Correio da Manhã, Leila and Laila Lourenço have been in pre-trial detention in Geneva since June 24 after Swiss customs officers allegedly discovered several kilos of cannabis in their baggage.

The sisters, who have been living in Portugal for several years, had reportedly travelled to Bangkok before beginning their return journey to Portugal via Dubai and Geneva.

The report says they left Thailand and transited through Dubai without being intercepted – sharing photographs of their trip on social media along the way. It was only after landing in Geneva for a second stopover that Swiss authorities allegedly detected the cannabis concealed in their luggage.

Investigators suspect the twins travelled to Southeast Asia on behalf of an international drug trafficking network to collect cannabis for transport to Portugal, although these allegations have not been independently confirmed by Swiss authorities.

Following their arrest, the sisters appeared before a court in Geneva and remanded in custody pending further legal proceedings.

According to Correio da Manhã, the case is expected to be prosecuted in Switzerland, where any trial and potential sentencing will take place. Portuguese authorities will only become directly involved if requested by the Swiss.

Portugal’s PJ police could assist Swiss investigators in establishing the sisters’ alleged links to any wider trafficking network, says the paper.

Swiss law distinguishes clearly between drug use and drug trafficking, with penalties for trafficking depending on the quantity involved and the circumstances of the offence. Less serious trafficking cases can result in prison sentences of up to three years, while offences involving organised criminal networks or large quantities of drugs can carry substantially longer jail terms.

Thailand has become one of the world’s main sources of cannabis since liberalising cultivation. While cannabis production is widely permitted under certain conditions, transporting the drug—particularly internationally—remains subject to strict legal controls.

Source material: noticiasaominuto

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.