Brit teen, 18, 'seen in handcuffs in Georgia' after going missing in Thailand
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A British teen, Bella May Culley, has been arrested in Georgia after going missing while holidaying in Thailand.
The 18-year-old was reportedly arrested over 'drug offences' in the Eastern European nation.
She has been accused of smuggling 30 pounds of cannabis through the country's airport and could face life behind bars because of it.
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An update on Culley's missing case came last night, when the Cleveland Police, which had been assisting with the family's missing person's enquiry, said: "Update on Billingham woman who was reported missing overseas.
"We have this afternoon had confirmation from the authorities in Georgia that an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested there on suspicion of drugs offences and that she remains in their custody."
Originally from Billingham, County Durham, Culley was allegedly seen in footage shared by local broadcasters that appeared to show her being walked into the Central Criminal Police Department in Tbilisi while in handcuffs.
She was caught with the drugs during a scanner check at Tbilisi International Airport.
Local media has claimed that "34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana were found in the passenger's bag, as well as 20 packages of hashish."
They add that the nation's Interior Ministry said the crime could see "up to 20 years - or life imprisonment."
Culley's charges include illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia, according to the Daily Mail.
It is believed Culley's family had lost contact with her during her backpacking trip to Thailand.
The situation risks putting an end to Culley's aspirations of becoming a nurse, as the teenager recently finished a course on the profession.
It also seems unlikely she will receive any special treatment in Georgia, as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) states it cannot get Brits out of jail in Georgia or help anyone get special treatment because they are British.
Its website reads: "It is usual in Georgia for cells/dormitories to be shared. There is no set maximum number of occupants, rather it depends on the type of facility, size of the room, etc."
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CPT) described the conditions at the prison as "degrading" and "inhuman".
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