A young couple from the Black Country are facing up to 30 years in prison after being arrested in Turkey on suspicion of drug smuggling. Holly Cooper, 20, and Taylor Johnson, 20, were detained at Istanbul Airport on April 26 after flying in from Thailand. Turkish authorities allegedly discovered cannabis packed inside two suitcases they were attempting to transport to the UK via a connecting flight to London.
Final social media posts
Holly's last social media activity before the arrest has come to light, offering a glimpse into their relationship dynamics. In one post, she wrote: "My money is for fun stuff. My man's money is for bills. It's not to be confused." She also tagged Taylor in a post that read: "I don't care what happened, I call my man like he can fix everything."
Arrest and detention
The couple, from Coseley and Wednesbury respectively, were questioned by customs officers and subsequently formally arrested. According to family sources, Taylor was reportedly beaten while in detention. They are now held in a Turkish jail and could wait up to a year for their trial.
They are currently relying on public defenders assigned by the Turkish authorities. A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for their legal fees was removed by the platform.
Family reaction
A family friend described the situation as a "nightmare" for those back home. Speaking to The Sun, they 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. They are alone in a Turkish prison. It's shocking and apparently Taylor has been beaten up. The families are in bits."
The Foreign Office confirmed it is assisting two British nationals detained in Turkey and is in contact with their families.
