An 18-year-old British woman from Billingham , Teesside, is facing a potential life sentence in Georgia after she was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 14kg (30lbs) of cannabis into the country.
Bella May Culley , who had recently travelled to south-east Asia, vanished in Thailand before reappearing in handcuffs in Tbilisi.
Georgian authorities claim Culley was detained at Tbilisi International Airport on Saturday last week, following a sting operation by the Special Tasks Department.
According to Georgian Police, officers discovered 34 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana and 20 packets of hashish in her luggage. As per the BBC, she has been charged with illegally purchasing, possessing, and importing a particularly large amount of narcotics, crimes that carry up to 20 years or even life imprisonment under Georgian law.
Culley remained silent during a court appearance in Tbilisi, only revealing she was pregnant.
The court has ordered a medical examination to verify the claim and remanded her in custody at Tbilisi’s only female prison, which, as noted by Human Rights Watch , has previously been condemned as “inhuman” and “degrading”.
According to the Daily Mail, her grandfather, William Culley, 80, said the family is distraught and in disbelief. “She’s not an international drug trafficker. She’s just a student who wanted to go on holiday. Someone must have taken advantage of her”, she said.
Bella’s father, Neil Culley, who lives in Vietnam, is now in Georgia to support his daughter.
Her disappearance had initially sparked an international search when her family lost contact with her on May 10 after she had travelled to Thailand. Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, was quoted by The Sun as saying that she was shocked to hear about the charges, insisting Bella “doesn’t like the party lifestyle” and had travelled to reconnect with friends from a previous trip.
Before her arrest, Culley had shared clips on TikTok showing off stacks of cash and referring to a “Bonnie and Clyde” lifestyle.
In one video, she posed with the caption, “Blonde or brunette? Erm how about we get up to criminal activities side by side like Bonnie n Clyde”, comments now drawing scrutiny.
As per The Sun, her online activity stopped abruptly on May 9.
Bella had completed an access course at Middlesbrough College and hoped to pursue nursing.
Her lawyer, Ia Todua, was quoted by the BBC as saying that the teenager appeared too anxious to testify. “She is so clenched. She’s a child, in my opinion… she chose to remain silent”, she added.
Bella May Culley , who had recently travelled to south-east Asia, vanished in Thailand before reappearing in handcuffs in Tbilisi.
Georgian authorities claim Culley was detained at Tbilisi International Airport on Saturday last week, following a sting operation by the Special Tasks Department.
According to Georgian Police, officers discovered 34 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana and 20 packets of hashish in her luggage. As per the BBC, she has been charged with illegally purchasing, possessing, and importing a particularly large amount of narcotics, crimes that carry up to 20 years or even life imprisonment under Georgian law.
Culley remained silent during a court appearance in Tbilisi, only revealing she was pregnant.
The court has ordered a medical examination to verify the claim and remanded her in custody at Tbilisi’s only female prison, which, as noted by Human Rights Watch , has previously been condemned as “inhuman” and “degrading”.
According to the Daily Mail, her grandfather, William Culley, 80, said the family is distraught and in disbelief. “She’s not an international drug trafficker. She’s just a student who wanted to go on holiday. Someone must have taken advantage of her”, she said.
Bella’s father, Neil Culley, who lives in Vietnam, is now in Georgia to support his daughter.
Her disappearance had initially sparked an international search when her family lost contact with her on May 10 after she had travelled to Thailand. Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, was quoted by The Sun as saying that she was shocked to hear about the charges, insisting Bella “doesn’t like the party lifestyle” and had travelled to reconnect with friends from a previous trip.
Before her arrest, Culley had shared clips on TikTok showing off stacks of cash and referring to a “Bonnie and Clyde” lifestyle.
In one video, she posed with the caption, “Blonde or brunette? Erm how about we get up to criminal activities side by side like Bonnie n Clyde”, comments now drawing scrutiny.
As per The Sun, her online activity stopped abruptly on May 9.
Bella had completed an access course at Middlesbrough College and hoped to pursue nursing.
Her lawyer, Ia Todua, was quoted by the BBC as saying that the teenager appeared too anxious to testify. “She is so clenched. She’s a child, in my opinion… she chose to remain silent”, she added.
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