( CNN ) -- An Irish woman and a Scottish woman accused of trying to smuggle 25 pounds of cocaine from Peru to Europe pleaded guilty to the charges , the court handling the case said . Michaella McCollum , 20 , from Ireland , was arrested alongside Melissa Reid , 19 , from Scotland , by Peruvian national police at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima on August 6 . They were stopped as they tried to board an Air Europa flight from Lima to Madrid after authorities found 11.59 kilograms ( 25.5 pounds ) of cocaine in their luggage , hidden inside food packets . Their final destination was Palma de Mallorca in Spain . When they were arrested , the two women told police they had been coerced into carrying the cocaine . But the law firm representing McCollum said in a statement Wednesday that the investigating judge had interviewed her at Sarita Colonia prison in Lima and that she had accepted the charges . Sentencing in the case is due Tuesday . Lawyer Peter Madden said , `` I intend to travel to Lima next week to attend the sentencing hearing , and after the sentence is handed down by the judge , it will be possible ( to ) make further comment . '' Reid also pleaded guilty to the charges , according to a statement from the court . The pair said they regretted their actions and have cooperated with investigators by elaborating on their role and the contacts who coordinated the smuggling attempt , the statement said . `` I feel very bad for the pain this has caused my family , '' Reid said , according to the statement . `` I assume full responsibility . '' The women 's sentences could range from eight to 15 years in prison , the court said . Since their arrests , the women have received consular assistance from their home government , a UK Foreign Office spokesman said . There is a prisoner transfer agreement between Peru and the United Kingdom , which means that individuals can apply to serve their sentence back in their home country , the spokesman said . Peru is the world 's top cultivator of coca , the plant whose leaves are used to produce cocaine . It overtook Colombia for the dubious honor . CNN 's Laura Smith-Spark , Rafael Romo and Claudia Rebaza , and journalist Peter Taggart contributed to this report .
Attorney for Michaella McCollum say she accepted drug trafficking charges in Peru . She was sentenced to 20 years and is now serving her sentence at a prison on the outskirts of Lima. Fellow defendant Melissa Reid also pleaded guilty , court says . The two women arrested as they tried to board a flight carrying 25 pounds of cocaine .