Jessica Almada, who has spent the last eighteen months behind bars pending trial, has been cleared on charges of drug-smuggling

Argentinian model Jessica Almada, who has spent the last eighteen months behind bars pending trial, has been cleared on charges of drug-smuggling by a judge in Barcelona. Jessica, who turned 20 during her incarceration, was arrested with fellow model and compatriot, Belén Téllez, who has also been cleared, at Barcelona's El Prat airport after their manager and fellow passenger, Alejandro Jorge Panno, was found to be carrying 16kg of cocaine in four suitcases. Panno, who insisted during his trial that the girls knew nothing about the drugs, was convicted to serve 11 years behind bars and was fined two million euros. Jessica's lawyer revealed yesterday that the girls are planning to claim compensation for the time they spent in jail, but recognised that it is going to be difficult given that it is normal for foreigners awaiting trial to be remanded without bail given the high perceived risk that they would try and flee the country if granted bail.