Arrested at airport with 14kg of cannabis
A British teenager who sparked an international missing person hunt has been found in a Georgian prison after being arrested on serious drugs charges. Bella May Culley, 18, from Billingham in County Durham, was stopped at Tbilisi International Airport where officials say she was carrying 14 kilograms of cannabis and hashish hidden in her luggage.
She has now appeared in court in the Georgian capital and claimed that she is pregnant. A medical examination has been ordered to confirm her condition. If convicted, she faces between 20 years and life in prison under Georgian law.
Family launched desperate search
Bella had flown to the Philippines just after Easter before travelling to Thailand, regularly sharing sun-soaked images from her travels on social media. But when the updates stopped and she failed to call her mother as planned, her family grew increasingly concerned. Her phone had gone dead, and she was last believed to be in the Pattaya region near Bangkok.
Her father, Neil, and sister Kerry flew to Thailand to try to track her down, contacting local authorities and the airline she had travelled with. The search ended in shock when authorities confirmed she had been detained in Georgia.
‘Terrified and confused’ in harsh prison conditions
Bella is currently being held at Rustavi No. 5, Georgia’s only women’s prison, which has been condemned by human rights groups for its conditions. The facility has previously housed high-profile prisoners including the country’s former prime minister, and is described as overcrowded and decaying.
Footage has emerged showing the teenager being led into the Central Criminal Police Department in handcuffs. In court, it was revealed she had been caught with 34 sealed packages of marijuana and 20 packages of hashish. The drugs were allegedly discovered after she flew from Thailand to Georgia, though how or why she made that journey remains unclear.
Family speak of heartbreak
Bella’s mother, Lyanne Kennedy, said she had begged her daughter not to travel to Thailand and was deeply worried about the company she was keeping. “When she stopped answering messages, I assumed it was because she was flying back to surprise me,” she told reporters. “But then nothing.”
Her lawyer told MailOnline that Bella is “terrified and confused,” and that her father is now travelling to Georgia to support her.
Conditions condemned by human rights groups
Rustavi No. 5 prison has previously been criticised by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. Reports described the jail as degrading and inhuman, with urgent calls made for reform.
Bella’s next court appearance is expected in the coming weeks as she awaits formal charges and the outcome of her medical examination. Her case continues to draw significant international attention.
