Who is Charlotte May Lee? Brit air hostess jailed in Sri Lanka over drug smuggling accusations
CHARLOTTE MAY LEE is a 21-year-old British woman who was arrested at Colombo Airport in Sri Lanka, under serious accusations of drug smuggling.
She is facing up to a year behind bars before her trial and sentencing after her first court appearance, and this is everything we know about her.
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Charlotte May Lee, 21, was accused of smuggling nearly £1.5million worth of kush into Sri Lanka from Thailand
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Family and friends worry as Charlotte awaits trial and sentencing from a high-security prison in Sri Lanka
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The former air hostess shared snaps from her travels on social media prior to her arrest
Who is Charlotte May Lee?
Originally from Coulsdon in South London, Charlotte, 21, is a beauty technician who was working in Chipstead, Surrey and training in eyelash extensions before
Prior to her most recent role as a nail tech, Charlotte worked as an air hostess for TUI until around a year ago.
Her Instagram highlights are filled with snaps from around the world in European destinations including the Greek islands and Ibiza, and further afield in Egypt, Cape Verde, and the Caribbean.
Trips to Thailand
A well-seasoned traveller, Charlotte's first trip to Thailand was to celebrate her 21st birthday with her older sister.
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Upon returning from her first trip, friends report that Charlotte had plans to go back to Thailand because she 'wanted to work', while relatives say she mentioned meeting a man on her next visit.
They shared: "Charlotte was vague before leaving, but just said she was going to meet a British guy who can't come home.'
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Sri Lanka arrest
Charlotte landed at Colombo International Airport in Sri Lanka after flying in from Bangkok on Monday, May 12, 2025, and was arrested upon arrival under allegations of smuggling nearly £1.5million worth of kush found in her luggage.
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Kush, which is a potent strain of marijuana cut with synthetic and dangerous additives including acetone, formalin, and tramadol, was first seen in Sierra Leone in 2022.
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Charlotte's alleged possession and arrest marks Sri Lanka's biggest kush bust ever, and could result in her serving a 20 to 25-year sentence in Sri Lanka's maximum-security
However, Charlotte
Many have been quick to draw comparisons between Charlotte's case and
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Bella is an 18-year-old who lost contact with her family on a solo trip in Thailand before re-appearing at Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia just a day before Charlotte's arrest,
Although the two have never met, both young women were in Bangkok's airport alone before their arrests, and both were allegedly found with large quantities of cannabis in their bags.
Bella was found with 13kg of marijuana, and Charlotte, 46kg.
Both women also reportedly told friends and family back home that they were meeting a man in Thailand.
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Family and friends' reactions
As Charlotte awaits trial with limited phone access, loved ones have shared their concerns for her wellbeing - especially given the conditions in Negombo Prison, where she will be held for up to 12 more months.
Behind bars Charlotte told
"There are no beds, no blankets. And where you sleep is like a long corridor with lots of other women.'
"I am sleeping on a concrete floor - literally. All I have is my jumper as a pillow.'
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She hasn't been able to change her clothes, take her ADHD medication, or to eat daily, as the food served has been too spicy for her to tolerate.
A family friend said: 'We're frantically worried. She was arrested then seemingly abandoned and is rotting in a jail cell. She's very scared.'
"At the moment she can have visitors from 9.30am til 4.30pm, although there is no-one to go and see her in Sri Lanka, and her family are not flying out to meet her," another friend added.
If Charlotte is found guilty, the British Embassy will only be able to visit her at Welikada Prison every six months.
The jail is reported to be at over double its capacity, and has even worse conditions for its female inmates.
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Irish Independent
35 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
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Extra.ie
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Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
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'I utterly condemn the violence that we have seen overnight in Ballymena and in other parts of Northern Ireland, including against PSNI officers,' Mr Starmer told MPs. A second night of violence took place in Ballymena (Niall Carson/PA) 'It's absolutely vital that the PSNI are given the time they need to investigate the incidents concerned rather than face mindless attacks as they seek to bring peace and order to keep people safe.' In a joint statement, ministers from across the Stormont powersharing Executive, which includes Sinn Féin, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but 'division and disorder'. First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly later appeared together to voice their condemnation. Sinn Féin vice president Ms O'Neill told reporters in Belfast: 'It's pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.' Rioters attacked police in Ballymena on Tuesday night (Niall Carson/PA) She said ministers stood full-square with the young girl who was subject to the alleged sex attack but she said the criminal justice system must be allowed to deal with that case. 'Separate to that is the racism that we're seeing … people being firebombed out of their homes, people having their doors knocked in, having their windows being smashed, families being intimidated,' Ms O'Neill added. 'That is absolutely unacceptable and everything that needs to be done to bring it to an end is our focus in terms of the engagement we have with the PSNI.' Ms Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as 'unacceptable thuggery', adding: 'We've been in contact with the Chief Constable, and in constant contact with the PSNI throughout last night in terms of what was happening on the ground. 'I think today is about sending a very clear message that violence is wrong, it is entirely unacceptable. It must stop.' With the protests focused in predominantly loyalist areas in Ballymena, Ms O'Neill said she did not believe a visit by her would prove helpful in the current context. DUP MLA Ms Little-Pengelly visited the town on Wednesday. Police said their officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks thrown in their direction in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Tuesday night. The PSNI deployed riot police, fired plastic baton rounds, and used water cannon as well as dog units as part of its response to the disorder. Police also reported that 'sporadic disorder' had also occurred in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, as well as incidents in north Belfast. It came after similar violent disorder around Clonavon Terrace in the town on Monday night, following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged. A PSNI spokesperson said earlier on Tuesday evening that a number of protests took place in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey. In Carrickfergus, two bins were set alight and bottles and masonry thrown at police in the Sunnylands area by a group of 20-30 young people at about 8.30pm. In Newtownabbey, bins were set alight at the roundabout on O'Neill Road. During the course of the disorder in Ballymena, officers discharged a number of plastic baton rounds and a water cannon was also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds. The spokesperson said: 'Businesses and homes were attacked and damaged, and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area. 'Seventeen officers were injured with some requiring hospital treatment. 'Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and remain in police custody this morning. 'A male was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour on the O'Neill Road in Newtownabbey. 'A number of nearby roads were closed by police to ensure the safety of the public and local residents, and to enable officers to deal with the situation and disorder safely. All roads were subsequently reopened.' Fifteen officers had been injured during similar scenes in Ballymena on Monday. Mr Boutcher said: 'The mindless violence witnessed over the past two nights in Ballymena is deeply concerning and utterly unacceptable. 'These criminal acts not only endanger lives but also risk undermining the ongoing criminal justice process led by the PSNI in support of a victim who deserves truth, justice, and protection. 'Ironically, and frustratingly, this violence threatens to derail the very pursuit of justice it claims to challenge. I will be making arrangements to activate mutual aid resources to ensure we have the necessary support to maintain public order and bring offenders to justice 'Let me be clear: this behaviour must stop. I appeal to everyone involved to cease all further acts of criminality and disorder immediately.' The Chief Constable said the investigation into the violence would include reviewing video footage, and images of individuals would be released to identify offenders. He added: 'Since 2010, the PSNI has been critically underfunded. This neglect takes no account of the enormous demands placed on us by legacy issues or the unique challenges of policing in a post-conflict society. 'Our resourcing levels are not just inadequate — they are dangerous. 'I will be making arrangements to activate mutual aid resources to ensure we have the necessary support to maintain public order and bring offenders to justice.'
