BRITISH WOMAN REMANDED ON HEROIN CHARGES

A Turkish court yesterday remanded in custody a British woman whose
body piercing set off airport metal detectors, leading to the
discovery of heroin worth more than Pounds 300,000 strapped to her chest,
newspapers reported.

Alison Mary McKinnon, 37, was remanded on drug smuggling charges,
which, linked to what police said was 6lb of heroin bound to her body,
carry a jail term of up to a 30 years.

Turkish newspapers reported that McKinnon's body piercing activated
metal detectors at Istanbul airport. Police body-searched her and
found the heroin.

British consulate officials said McKinnon's family in Britain had been
notified of her arrest, but had not decided a course of action.