Eighteen-year-old Bella May Culley from Billingham, County Durham, UK, has been arrested in Georgia on serious drug trafficking charges. Culley was detained at Tbilisi International Airport after allegedly being found with approximately 14 kilograms of cannabis and 20 packages of hashish concealed in her luggage. Georgian authorities have charged her with illegal possession and importation of narcotics, offenses that carry penalties of up to 20 years or life imprisonment under Georgian law. She has been denied bail and remains in custody.
Prior to her arrest, Culley had been reported missing during a trip to Thailand. Her family lost contact with her after a scheduled phone call on May 10, prompting an international search effort. Her father and aunt traveled to Bangkok to assist in the search, and Thai authorities treated the case as a high priority. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when police in Georgia announced her arrest on drug charges.
Culley had been traveling through Asia since early May, beginning her journey in the Philippines before moving on to Thailand. She had recently completed a nursing access course and was reportedly planning to pursue a career in nursing upon returning to the UK.
If convicted, Culley faces a lengthy prison sentence in Georgia’s only women’s prison, Tbilisi Prison No. 5. The facility, dating back to 1912, has been the subject of criticism due to its severe overcrowding and poor living conditions.
International press is emphasizing the awful conditions of the prison, with the UK’s Express sharing details from a report written back in 2006 by the Human Rights Watch, which noted that the prison was holding 3,559 prisoners, nearly double its capacity, “with cells often accommodating more detainees than there were beds.” Conditions were described as unsanitary, with inadequate nutrition and substandard medical care. Yet, in 2015, the Ombudsman reported the following: “During the monitoring visit there were 272 female inmates of legal age in the facility in total; of this number 52 were accused and 220 convicted. Three women were sentenced to life imprisonment and one of those was pregnant.”
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed that it is providing consular assistance to Culley’s family and is in contact with Georgian authorities. However, the FCDO has stated that it cannot intervene in the legal proceedings or secure preferential treatment for British nationals detained abroad.
Culley’s arrest has sparked mixed reactions online, with some expressing anger and disbelief. Social media groups in her hometown have been active in discussing the case, with some individuals criticizing her actions, while others express sympathy for her situation.
