Two teenage girls from London were transferred to a private cell at the headquarters of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) in the Ghanian capital yesterday, pending formal drug-smuggling charges that are expected to be made on Wednesday.

If convicted, Yasemin Vatansever and Yetunde Diya, both 16, are likely to serve any sentence in Ghana. “As it stands there is no formal agreement [for a British citizen to serve their sentence in the UK] and there are no negotiations under way,” the British High Commission spokesman, Gary Nicholls, told The Times. Sources say that the juvenile status of the girls will be taken into consideration, but a sentence of five to 10 years is likely for a drug trafficking conviction.

“We won’t be attempting to interfere with the due judicial process here in Ghana,” Mr Nicholls added.

The school friends, from Islington, were arrested as they prepared to board a flight to Heathrow on July 2, allegedly in possession of 6kg (13lb) of cocaine worth £300,000. Since then, they have been sleeping on a thin foam mattress laid on the floor of a small concrete cell that the girls shared with two other female inmates.

The construction site that is NACOB HQ showed little sign of comfort as The Times entered by walking across a plank over one of Accra’s numerous open sewers. However, the clean and private facilities will be better than the average African prison which is usually crowded and dirty.

The girls were arrested by Ghanaian customs officials at Kotoka airport. They were questioned after being spotted loitering in the departure hall before checking in for a 10.30pm British Airways flight to Heathrow. The girls are alleged to have been in possession of cocaine in two laptop bags. They are expected to be charged formally at a hearing before a juvenile court on Wednesday.

The girls’ next stop, officials say, will be at a secure juvenile home as soon as a place becomes available.

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