UK teen’s dream holiday in Thailand takes a shocking turn as she’s arrested in Georgia for cannabis smuggling. Bella May Culley faces life in prison after being found 4,000 miles away from her family, who had arrived to search for her in Bangkok.
An 18-year-old British woman told a Georgian court on Wednesday that she is pregnant. The discovery of Bella May Culley in Tbilisi came just as her family arrived in Bangkok to search for her. She had previously been reported missing in Thailand after failing to contact her mother online last Saturday. The young tourist is accused of smuggling 30 pounds of cannabis from Thailand into Georgia—a serious offence that could see her jailed for life under a justice system known for its harsh sentencing and limited leniency.
A British teenager who vanished while travelling solo in Thailand has been found—4,000 miles away in a Georgian prison. Bella May Culley, 18, from Billingham, County Durham, is now accused of smuggling over 30 pounds of cannabis from Thailand into Georgia. She was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport and is currently held in custody.
Her shocked family had just landed in Bangkok to begin searching for her when the arrest was announced. Until that moment, they believed she was still in Thailand. Her sudden disappearance in the Kingdom had previously triggered an international search.
Bella’s travels across Southeast Asia end abruptly as she goes silent and her family fears the worst
Culley had been documenting her travels on social media. She first flew to the Philippines in April for a holiday with a friend. After three weeks of island-hopping, she continued alone to Thailand on 3 May.
At first, she remained in daily contact. “She was posting loads of pictures,” said her mother, Lyanne Kennedy. “Then she went silent.”
The last message came on a Saturday afternoon at 5.30 pm. Bella told her mum she would FaceTime later. But she never did. As days passed with no word, her family feared the worst. Her father flew to Bangkok to assist in the search. Then came the shock: Bella wasn’t in Thailand. She had been arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.
She was reportedly caught with a large haul of cannabis in her luggage. Georgian broadcaster Rustavi 2 showed her in handcuffs, being led into the Central Criminal Police Department.
During her court appearance, Bella told the judge she was pregnant. She refused to speak further and remained silent on the charges. Her lawyer requested bail, but the court refused. Georgian officials declared her a flight risk.
Georgian authorities confirm drug trafficking charges against Bella May Culley with potential life sentence
The country’s Interior Ministry later confirmed the charges. “The offence envisions up to 20 years—or life imprisonment,” it stated. The cannabis, according to authorities, was allegedly smuggled into Georgia from Thailand. That detail raised serious concerns.
Thailand has recently seen a disturbing rise in British tourists being used as drug mules. Criminal networks reportedly offer British travellers free holidays or quick cash. Once abroad, they are forced or tricked into carrying the drugs, as cannabis is legal in Thailand. Certainly, exporting and trafficking it to other markets is not.
A ring of cannabis traffickers was recently smashed on Ko Samui with arrests on the island and in Bangkok.
Several British citizens and others have been caught in similar stings. However, if caught in Thailand, the legal consequences are relatively light. Indeed, some previously had been scheduled to fly to Tbilisi in Georgia.
Officials believe Bella may have been targeted by such a trafficking network. Still, her family remains in disbelief.
“She was supposed to be enjoying the trip of a lifetime,” said her mother. “Now she could spend her life in prison.”
Bella May Culley faces harsh conditions in Georgian women’s prison as she awaits trial for drug smuggling
Bella is currently being held at Tbilisi Prison No. 5, Georgia’s only facility for women. Notably, the prison has been condemned for its harsh and degrading conditions.
A 2015 report by Georgia’s Public Ombudsman exposed the disturbing treatment of female inmates. New arrivals are forced to undress and perform naked squats. These checks are repeated every time prisoners leave or return.
The report said this was particularly traumatic during menstruation. Some inmates skipped medical visits or court hearings to avoid the humiliation. Moreover, the prison was found to be overcrowded and unhygienic.
Showers were separated by rusting metal walls and lacked ventilation. Some had broken or missing window panes. Monitors said basic sanitation standards were “violated significantly.”
At the time of inspection, the prison held around 300 women. Fifty-two were awaiting trial, while more than 200 had already been convicted.
Three were serving life sentences. Bella could join them if found guilty.
Despite pregnancy claim, Bella faces a life sentence as Georgian law offers little leniency for drug trafficking
Despite the reported pregnancy, Georgian law offers little leniency in drug trafficking cases. Sentences are strict and bail is rare. Bella’s court date has not yet been confirmed. Meanwhile, British consular officials are providing support to the family.
The UK Foreign Office has declined to comment on the details of her case. Questions now swirl around how Bella ended up in Georgia at all. Her travel from Thailand to Tbilisi remains unexplained. Authorities have not released her flight route or travel documents.
Even her family was unaware she had left Southeast Asia.
The wider context raises red flags. Thai officials have repeatedly warned about criminal groups preying on young tourists.
The cannabis trade has grown quickly in Thailand since partial legalisation. But exports remain tightly restricted—and dangerous. Still, many gangs use unsuspecting visitors to bypass detection.
Some tourists are offered “package trips” with expenses covered. Others are lured into carrying items they believe are legal.
Significantly, the cannabis discovered in Tbilisi was hashish. This is the buds of the cannabis plant compressed into a sticky brown substance. Indeed, the packages were marked ‘hashish’ and wrapped in brown paper squares.
Bella’s family pleads for answers and help while she faces an uncertain future behind Georgian prison walls
For Bella, the timing was devastating. Her parents had just arrived in Bangkok, ready to search. Instead, they found out their daughter had been detained in a foreign country with one of the harshest drug laws in Europe.
Now, they are pleading for answers—and for help. “I just want her home safe,” her mother said. “Or at least to hear her gorgeous little voice again.”
While Bella remains silent, the legal machine moves forward. Without bail, she will stay in Tbilisi Prison No. 5 until trial. If convicted, she may never leave. What began as a sunny gap year has turned into a life-or-death ordeal.
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Massive Pot smuggling racket. Foreign tourists paid and sent to Thailand on holidays. Security threat
Parole for convicted prisoners sentenced to life is only considered after a minimum of 14 years have been served. Otherwise, under Georgian law, life means the full term of a natural life.
Thousands previously followed Bella’s travels online. Now, they are watching in horror. A missing person case in Thailand has become an international legal battle in the Caucasus. At length, a teenage backpacker now faces the grim possibility of growing old behind bars—courtesy of cannabis smuggling from Thailand.
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Further reading:
Buriram cannabis factory raided for illegal Vietnamese staff as drugs czar declares a new regime
UK ambassador meets top Thai officials to hear about plans to rein in cannabis as smuggling surges
UK holiday maker to Thailand lands in Heathrow Airport London with £1 million worth of cannabis
Dark web Xanax counterfeiting gang managed from Thailand smashed in the UK with 10 people convicted
Unlikely rags to riches convict star arrested again in Thailand over online gambling promotion
