An 18-year-old British woman who was reported missing while travelling in Thailand has been located in Georgia, where she has been arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling.
Bella May Culley, from Billingham, County Durham, was seen in handcuffs entering a court in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, according to footage released by local media. The teenager had not made contact with her family since Saturday, when she failed to check in with her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, as arranged.
Concerned for her safety, Ms Culley’s father and aunt travelled to Bangkok over the weekend to seek information about her whereabouts. They later discovered on Tuesday that she had been detained in Georgia, more than 4,000 miles from where she was last believed to be.
Georgia’s interior ministry confirmed the arrest and said Ms Culley is facing charges that carry a possible sentence of up to 20 years or life imprisonment.
In a statement, the ministry said: “B.K, born in 2006, is charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia. The committed crime envisions up to 20 years — or life imprisonment.”
Ms Culley is facing charges that carry a possible sentence of up to 20 years or life imprisonmentGeorgian Police
According to reports from Georgian media, the teenager was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport in possession of 34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana and 20 packages of hashish.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed that a British national had been detained in Georgia and said it was supporting the individual’s family. Cleveland Police also confirmed Ms Culley’s detention.
Speaking to Teesside Live, Ms Kennedy said her daughter had travelled to Thailand on 3 May, after spending three weeks in the Philippines.
“She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks,” said Mrs Kennedy. “She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about 3 May.”
Mrs Kennedy said the last message she received from her daughter was on Saturday at 5.30pm, in which Ms Culley said she would FaceTime her later that day. “That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now,” she added.
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