The youngest of three Quebecers arrested on a cruise ship and charged with smuggling over 200 pounds of cocaine into Australia will be spending the holidays behind bars awaiting trial.
“It is highly improbable that a person other than the defendant [or her alleged co-conspirator, that has since pleaded guilty] would have stored the items in the suitcase under the bed," magistrate Robert Williams told the Sydney courtroom, as Melina Roberge sobbed loudly in the prisoner's box, on why the case would proceed to trial.
Roberge, a 23-year-old Granby native, has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Her lawyer argued last week that she was unaware of the cocaine hiding in the cabin that she shared with fellow Quebecer, Isabelle Lagacé. Lagacé and Roberge, pictured above left to right, were sharing the suitcase and had traveled together for nearly 40 days by the time of their arrest by Australian authorities back in August.
Lagacé, 28, has since pleaded guilty to the drug smuggling charges earlier this month. Commercial drug trafficking carries a maximum sentence of life in prison in Australia.
A third Quebecer, 64-year-old Andre Tamine, has pleaded not guilty and like Roberge, will be back in court for the start of his trial in February.