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The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Peru Two's Michaella McCullum soaks in the Benidorm sun after telling of prison ‘horrors' awaiting Brit ‘smugglers'
PERU Two's Michaella McCollum has been spotted soaking up the sun in Benidorm — just days after warning that Brit 'smugglers' Bella Culley and Charlotte Lee could face 'prison horrors' she wouldn't survive. The 31-year-old convicted drug mule was seen in a pink Louis Vuitton bikini enjoying the beach in Spain. 10 10 10 The mum-of-two, who had a boob job at the end of last year, was pictured cooling off in the sea and playing with a ball on the sand. McCollum served three years in a hellish jail near Lima after she and pal Melissa Reid were busted smuggling £1.5million of cocaine into Peru in 2013. Now, after carving out a new life as a public speaker and influencer, she has opened up about her time behind bars — and issued a chilling warning to 18-year-old Culley and 21-year-old Lee. 'I could not do 20 years in a prison like that. I just couldn't. And that's what those girls are facing,' she said. Culley was caught earlier this month with a 31lb stash of cannabis and hashish at Tbilisi airport in Georgia — and told a court she's pregnant. She's being held in a Soviet-style clink ringed by watchtowers. Lee, from south London, is locked up in Sri Lanka after two suitcases packed with 46kg of super-strength kush were allegedly found in her hotel room. The potent synthetic drug is 25 times stronger than fentanyl. Friends say she's been denied medicine and is forced to 'have a glass of water poured over her head' to clean herself. Brit 'drug mule' Charlotte May Lee, 21, tears up as cops wheel £1.2m kush haul into court she 'didn't know was in case' 10 10 McCollum compared their ordeals to her own — and said she 'couldn't imagine' how pregnancy would complicate Culley's ordeal. 'As a mum, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to give birth in that sort of place, and to potentially have the child taken from you and put into care,' she said. 'That adds a whole new, terrifying, dimension. It's just incredibly sad.' Reflecting on her arrest at 19, McCollum said: 'The situation was almost exactly the same. 'Her mum had reported her missing, then it emerged that she'd been arrested. 'There were such parallels with my case – except it was just in a different country.' She added: 'They are 19 and 21. Whatever they have done, it's so young to be caught up in something like this, and I know what they are going to go through. 'And their families. It's the worst thing anybody can have to face.' 10 Lee claimed she was duped by a mysterious Brit called 'Dan' who bought her a flight to Sri Lanka from Thailand — and then vanished. McCollum said she was also coerced — offered £5,000 to carry the drugs and manipulated by older men. 'At the time I was so high (on cocaine) that I could barely walk. Yet the men around me were all sober,' she said. 'I thought they were my friends, but actually they didn't give a s**t about me.' She added: 'It's easy to look at girls like this and think 'how could you be so stupid?' but I look back at myself and think exactly that. 'The vast majority were the victims of some sort of coercion, usually by men. 'Prisons all over the world are full of women who have been caught up in something like this.' The once notorious mule has now written a book, starred in a Netflix doc, and works with police to warn teens off drugs. With an estimated net worth close to £1million, she says: 'Even £50,000 isn't enough. No amount of money is worth your freedom.' 10
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Peru Two's Michaella McCollum ‘couldn't survive prison horrors' Brit ‘smugglers' Bella Culley & Charlotte Lee may face
MICHAELLA McCollum of the notorious Peru Two has warned that accused Brit drug smugglers Bella Culley and Charlotte Lee will go through unbearable prison horrors. The infamous drug smuggler turned influencer branded the pair "victims", and said she could not endure the conditions Culley and Lee may have to face. 14 14 14 As one half of the notorious Peru Two, McCollum, 31, served three years in a hardcore prison near Lima when she was convicted of drug smuggling in 2013. Alongside Melissa Reid, the two were arrested at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru, after it was discovered that their suitcases contained a shocking £1.5million of cocaine between them. Mule turned author McCollum also detailed how she was forced to survive on maggot-infested paella and flick away cockroaches approaching her on the dining tables. The now mum-of-two said of Culley and Lee: "I could not do 20 years in a prison like that. I just couldn't. And that's what those girls are facing." Culley, 18, and Lee, 21, are facing similar but unrelated drug smuggling charges and have both been locked up far away from home with little hope of getting out. Culley was arrested on May 11 in Tbilisi airport, Georgia, with a suitcase packed with 31lb of cannabis and hashish after flying from Thailand via Sharjah in the UAE. She faces 15 years to life in jail in the eastern European former Soviet state. She is being held in watchtower-ringed Penitentiary No 5 near Tbilisi while prosecutors probe how she came to have the £200,000 stash and who she planned to hand it to. Meanwhile, Lee was arrested earlier this month in Sri Lanka after cops found two suitcases stuffed with 46kg of synthetic drug kush — which is 25 times more potent than opioid fentanyl. If found guilty, the South Londoner could face a 25-year sentence. The Brit claimed that she didn't know she was smuggling drugs into Sri Lanka before she was detained - and called her allegations 'made up'. Her friends revealed that she has been struggling behind bars since her arrest due to the shocking conditions. The part-time nail technician told pals she has not been allowed medication, and detailed how her cleaning regime consists of 'having a glass of water poured over her head'. McCollum, who has endured similar hardship in foreign prisons, was also a very young adult when she made the "greatest mistake of my life". She was 19 at the time of her arrest, alongside her pal who she had recently met Reid, who was 20. The mum compared her story to those of Lee and Culley. She said: "The situation was almost exactly the same. Her mum had reported her missing, then it emerged that she'd been arrested. "There were such parallels with my case – except it was just in a different country." 14 14 14 She added: "I couldn't help but feel bad for them. "They are 19 and 21. Whatever they have done, it's so young to be caught up in something like this, and I know what they are going to go through. "And their families. It's the worst thing anybody can have to face." Culley's situation also took a nightmare twist, after she told a Tbilisi court that she was pregnant. McCollum said: "As a mum, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to give birth in that sort of place, and to potentially have the child taken from you and put into care. How might the cases of Bella Culley and Charlotte May be connected? Within a single day of Bella Culley's arrest, Charlotte May, 21, was arrested in Sri Lanka after allegedly being caught trying to smuggle drugs worth £1.2m While the two arrests took place over 3,000 miles apart, people immediately noted striking similarities It is believed to be likely that Georgian and Sri Lankan authorities will launch a joint investigation Both women are said to have departed from the same airport - Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport - allegedly with the drugs on them In both cases, the drugs were stashed in airtight packages that suggest a level of professionalism Both women had told their loved ones that they planned on meeting a mystery man during their travels in Thailand: Bella's grandad said she mentioned a man called "Ross or Russ", while Charlotte's friends said she made vague comments about meeting a man "That adds a whole new, terrifying, dimension. It's just incredibly sad." The smuggler turned public speaker also said the accused pair need more public sympathy, but cautioned that she also understands they may have made mistakes, as she did. "It's easy to look at girls like this and think 'how could you be so stupid?' but I look back at myself and think exactly that," she said. "I don't know the circumstances in detail here, but I do know that of all the women I came across who had been involved in drug smuggling, only about 10 per cent were doing it as a business, who knew the risks and accepted them." She continued: "The vast majority were the victims of some sort of coercion, usually by men. 14 14 14 14 "Prisons all over the world are full of women who have been caught up in something like this." Lee has already told cops about a mysterious Brit man called "Dan". She claims to have met him on a beach in Thailand before he bought her a ticket to Colombo, promised to join her but then suddenly vanished. McCollum said she was only regarded as a "victim" after a 2022 Netflix documentary exploring the Peru Two case. She said: "It was when I was watching an actress do some of the re-enactments of my story that I realised there had been exploitation and coercion going on here. "At the time I was so high (on cocaine) that I could barely walk. Yet the men around me were all sober. "I thought they were my friends, but actually they didn't give a s**t about me." McCollum was offered a mere £5,000 to smuggle the drugs she was caught with. "I mean who would risk spending 20 years of your life in prison for £3,000 or £4,000 or even £10,000," she reflected. "Even £50,000 isn't enough. No amount of money is worth your freedom." The 31-year-old has also written a book detailing her experience, and worked with police to tell her story to impressionable teens. More than a decade on from her harrowing story, the former drug mule is now a public speaker, wife and author who's estimated net worth nearly £1million. 14 14
The Sun
20-05-2025
- The Sun
How Thai gangsters are luring naive Brit teens like Bella into drug mule trade in exchange for boozy paradise holidays
THAI gangs are turning more and more British backpackers into drug mules, law enforcement authorities have warned. The cases of trafficking suspects Bella Culley, 18, and Charlotte Lee, 21, ramped up fears gangs have launched unprecedented recruitment drives in search of huge profits. 9 9 9 And experts believe the twin arrests within hours of each other could herald a future flood - leaving parents across the UK facing their worst nightmares. Gangs run by British criminals based in Thailand have for years relied on postal deliveries of drug stashes from the Far East but have been rocked by a crackdown. And they are now tempting potential mules with free paradise holidays, unlimited booze, drugs and a £2,000 payout if they agree to carry their illicit wares back home. Kingpins based in hotspots including Thailand's Koh Samui are offering bigger rewards than ever to vulnerable and impressionable youngsters after profit margins rocketed. Since cannabis was legalised in Thailand in 2018 it has become so cheap on the streets that gangs who export to the UK can make an astonishing 3,000 per cent mark-up. British and Thai authorities joined forces to launch the Operation Chaophraya anti-mule drive last July and have been stunned by the scale of the recruitment campaign. An incredible 800 people - including 50 Britons - have been held in Thailand for alleged drug smuggling since last July, with more than nine tons of cannabis seized. In March a series of arrests at Koh Samui Airport exposed a sophisticated cannabis smuggling operation using mostly British tourists to ferry suitcases of narcotics. Over four days immigration police arrested 13 foreign nationals attempting to smuggle £1.7 million to the UK - where it would have been peddled for far higher prices. Investigators have revealed Thai gangs are now routinely attempting to confuse border officials by using fresh-faced Brits who fly to other countries before carrying drugs back home. Brit 'drug smuggler' Bella Culley 'starving' in ex-Soviet hell prison - as she reveals pregnancy craving to celeb lawyer Teenage travellers of the Instagram generation are being dazzled by the faux glamour of the luxury lifestyle offered by manipulative gangsters. And too many are blind to the enormous, potentially life-changing risks they are taking, law enforcement chiefs say. Banged up Bubbly backpacker Bella jetted off for fun in the sun then left her family frantic with worry when she went missing in Thailand two weeks ago. But there was little celebration when she was found - 4,000 miles away from the Thai capital in a court in the ex-Soviet state of Georgia accused of attempting to smuggle cannabis worth £200,000. Bella, of Billingham, County Durham, is facing a sentence of up to life in prison. She went on to tell the court tearfully that she was having a baby. 9 9 Her family say she flew to the Far East on holiday to meet a mystery man - believed to be the baby's father - called 'Ross or Russ'. He introduced her to Brits from the north west of England suspected of running drug mules from Thailand. The naive teenager joked online with the mystery man of 'Bonnie and Clyde' hijinks in the Far East while showing off cash wads and was pictured smoking a spliff. It's hard to imagine what Bella's dad Niel (ckd) must be feeling right now as he battles red tape trying to find out how on earth his daughter wound up in Tbilisi, pregnant and in jail. I've spoken to him several times and can see he's a man at his wit's end in a situation made worse by his inability to make sense of it. The 49-year-old oil rig electrician looks haunted as he paces around outside his hotel in the picture postcard capital waiting for news while puffing on cigarettes. He wants answers but is being advised by the British Embassy to speak to no one and appears totally baffled by his daughter's plight. His only legal point of contact so far is Georgian 'taxi rank' legal aid lawyer Ia Todua. At the time of writing, it's believed Bella has yet to explain how or why she got here to her own lawyer - let alone her family. Celebrity lawyer Mariam Kublashvili - a former contestant of Georgia's Strictly Come Dancing - saw Bella face-to-face in jail on Monday and came out convinced she the youngster is a "victim" and has been manipulated. Terrifying fate Bella's flight took off from the same Bangkok airport within hours of another pretty British trafficking suspect arrested with £1.2 million of a cannabis-related drug in Sri Lanka. Former air stewardess Charlotte May Lee, 21, was in a gruesome Sri Lankan jail cell last night awaiting a court appearance. It's still unclear whether this is the fate that has befallen Bella or Charlotte as both languish in cells. 9 9 9 But inquiries I've made since arriving to work on the story should serve as a warning to all young British trippers looking for backpacking adventures in the Far East. Every young Brit abroad in the holiday hotspots this summer should take heed and be wary of strangers offering gifts - and promises of free fun that seem too good to be true. A crime source based in the UK with knowledge of the growing threat told me: 'Evidence has already emerged that a major mule recruitment drive is underway. 'Young people from the UK are being targeted with the aim of reaching the UK after stopping off at European destinations en route to cover their tracks. 'And they are being offered more tempting rewards than ever as the gangs target bigger profits. 'We can't stop backpackers travelling and having fun but they should be careful who they talk to and never carry bags or packages onto planes for anyone. 'No matter how much they're offered - it won't be worth spending 20 years regretting it in a hellhole prison.' Why Brit backpackers are prime targets, Thai cop reveals By Patrick Harrington Police Lieutenant Colonel Arun Musikim, Deputy Inspector of the Surat Thani province police force, said: 'Cases involving British nationals smuggling cannabis have been around for a while. 'Initially most incidents happened at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. But as arrests increased, the security tightened inspections, making it harder for smugglers to operate. 'So they began looking for smaller airports with international flights, which is why they started using Koh Samui, as it operates international flights while still being a very small airport. 'There are a lot of codeshare flights with major airlines that have international transfers in Bangkok where the suitcases are moved between planes and not checked. Then the flights go to the UK. 'Phuket is another airport with international flights to Europe but the airport is bigger and security is more advanced. 'There is a lot of cannabis grown on Thailand's islands in the south because the climate is suitable and it is legal. A lot of gangs are attracted to this. 'There are now various smuggling methods that we have seen. Some carry it themselves, some hire backpackers, and some send it via mail. 'This year, there have been many cases we have intercepted. Most involve British and Malaysian nationals. 'It's easy for British citizens to travel as they can enter Thailand and return to the UK without needing a visa. 'Most of the smugglers are people hired to carry the cannabis, similar to how tourists might smuggle tax-free goods. 'They're usually unemployed individuals from the UK. The gangs offer them flights, pocket money and hotel stays, just to come and travel and take a bag back home with them. 'These people often have poor social standing at home and are looking for ways to earn quick money. They find them through friends or on social media. 'The average age is mostly young adults, though not all. There are men, women, and even people with disabilities, all posing as backpackers visiting Thailand for a holiday. 'Many will go to festivals or parties while they are here, just like they are having a normal trip abroad. 'Upon further investigation, we found that the gangs behind this are entirely based in the UK. The payment varies — some are paid to carry in exchange for clearing debts owed to these gangs. 'Wages differ. Some get £3,000 to £5,000, some only £2,000, and others just have flight tickets and some pocket money. Some accept the chance to have a holiday that is paid for. 'They are told that it is easy and they will not be caught. Then the amount the organisers can sell the cannabis for in the UK is much higher than it costs in Thailand. 'Police suspect that there are multiple employers and groups receiving the drugs on the other end. The cannabis then enters the UK market. 'To stop this network, immigration police have coordinated with customs, the Ministry of Public Health, and airport officials. 'In Surat Thani, several people have already been sentenced, some received four months, the longest was six months, depending on the court's decision. 'Some confessed and carried small amounts and were sentenced to four months. Others who recruited, managed, or transported large amounts received six months. 'Currently, there are fewer cases on Koh Samui because of our strict enforcement. Tourists are now looking for other routes instead. 'We are being vigilant to ensure there are no routes out of the country.'
The Sun
20-05-2025
- The Sun
Fears grow Brit ‘smuggling' cases Bella Culley & Charlotte Lee ARE linked as similarities including ‘mystery man' emerge
Annabel Bate, Foreign News Reporter Published: Invalid Date, FEARS are growing that Brit "drug smuggling" cases Bella Culley and Charlotte Lee are linked, as similarities including a "mystery man" have emerged. Within a single day of 18-year-old backpacker Bella getting arrested in Georgia, Charlotte, 21, suffered the same fate over 3,000 miles away. 9 9 9 Former air stewardess Charlotte was caught trying to smuggle drugs worth £1.2million and was arrested after stepping off a flight to Sri Lanka from Thailand last Monday. Her two suitcases were said to have been stuffed with 46kg of synthetic drug kush — which is 25 times more potent than opioid fentanyl. Meanwhile 18-year-old Bella - who claims to be pregnant - is in custody following her arrest in Georgia's Tbilisi airport with a suitcase of cannabis after going missing 4,000 miles away in Thailand. And with the two young Brits now both awaiting their fate locked up in disturbing foreign jails, a number of striking similarities have emerged over their cases. Both women are believed to have used the same airport to flee, allegedly with the drugs on them as cops say they flew solo from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport. A potential link between the two alleged drug smuggling cases appears to likely form part of the investigations being executed by the Georgian and Sri Lankan authorities. Another similarity between the two alleged drug smuggling cases is how well the narcotics were stashed. Shocking images published by Sri Lanka customs narcotics control unit show how drugs had been allegedly stuffed into Charlotte's luggage in large vacuum bags. This suggests the stash was packed with a top level of professionalism. Bella's alleged stash was also discovered in stacked, airtight sealed packages pointing to a similar-style operation. Bella Culley's dad stands by daughter amid fears drug gangs are targeting Brit backpackers And in another twist, the two had individually told their loved ones they planned on meeting a mystery man during their travels. Bella revealed to her family she was meeting an unknown man in the Philippines who had moved to the country from the North East. The backpacker's social media went on to show her clearly in the company of a male stranger - but he was never clearly pictured or named. Bella's grandad William Culley, 80, said that she appears to have spent most of March in Thailand but also spent time in the Philippines with a man called 'Ross or Russ.' Bella's family members also revealed last Wednesday that she went on to hook up in Thailand with a group of young men from the north west of England before being reported missing. Meanwhile Charlotte, a former TUI stewardess, left for Thailand weeks ago, with relatives saying she had made vague comments about meeting a man in Thailand. She had recently endured a painful break-up, they added. If found guilty, south Londoner Charlotte could face a hefty 25-year sentence. And a sentence ranging from 20 years to life could be a possibility for teen Bella from Country Durham, according to prosecutors. Bella was detained in Georgia following a tip-off on May 1 1 after a 20-hour flight from Bangkok via Sharjah in the UAE with the drug stash in her hold bag. 9 9 9 9 She joked online of 'Bonnie and Clyde' hijinks and was pictured smoking a suspicious-looking cigarette and showing off wads of cash. The 18-year-old was sent to the brutal Women's Penitentiary No. 5 in the town of Rustavi - a slammer notorious for its hellish conditions just outside Tbilisi. Celebrity Georgian lawyer Mariam Kublashvili, 39, was allowed to visit Bella for 30 minutes on Monday and brought the first news of her condition behind bars. Shockingly, she revealed the pregnant teen had not received a proper medical examination since telling a Tbilisi court she was pregnant. She also assessed that the shy and scared young Briton was a victim rather than a calculating criminal who deserves to be caged for years. Before her arrest, the great-granddaughter of a former Labour MP had been reported missing during a holiday in Thailand. She had originally jetted to the Philippines to meet an old friend but reportedly changed her plans last minute to go to Thailand with a gang of British lads unknown to her. Dad of Brit Bella Culley, who's being held in Georgia after vanishing on Thai hols, shares his fears A family friend claimed Bella was "completely exploited". They said: "She's just a normal 18-year-old. She's not some hardened criminal." Bella's pregnancy has yet to be confirmed by medical checks - but her dad, Neil, 49, appeared distressed as he faced the possibility of his first grandchild being born in prison. Puffing shakily on a cigarette, he told The Sun: 'I'm sorry - I don't want to say anything.' And former air stewardess Charlotte is being kept in a Sri Lankan jail cell with 'hardly room to lie down'. 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.' Another friend told The Sun on Sunday: 'She's been told if convicted, because of the size of the drugs haul, she's looking at between 20 and 25 years in jail. British Embassy staff warned her she's going nowhere soon.' Meanwhile, an Australian tourist has been arrested at a Thai airport after allegedly trying to smuggle 22kg of meth hidden in his case. Tran Huybao Khang, 28, was reportedly caught with the drugs while trying to board a plane at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on May 18. Staff flagged his belongings after finding "density abnormalities" in his suitcase during inspections. They said they rifled through the bags and discovered the plastic packs of methamphetamine inside. Authorities said Tran, of Vietnamese and Australian descent, was due to fly to Melbourne on Thai Airways flight TG461, an Airbus A350, before his arrest. 9 9
Hype Malaysia
15-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Hype Malaysia
New Balance ABZORB 2010 & 2000 Have Just Dropped & We're Obsessed!
New Balance is back, shaking up the sneaker scene with a fresh take on its legendary ABZORB cushioning technology. Say hello to the ABZORB 2010 and ABZORB 2000 — two sleek, 2000s-inspired kicks that blend throwback vibes with next-level comfort and style. First launched in 1993, ABZORB cushioning changed the game for runners, and now it's making waves again. The ABZORB 2010 flexes a bold, segmented sole and diamond-knit mesh for a look that's both familiar and futuristic. Meanwhile, the ABZORB 2000 stuns with its minimalist upper and a full-length sole packed with cutting-edge cushioning tech — all crafted using 3D design wizardry for smooth curves and sharp details. Charlotte Lee, Design Manager at New Balance, shares, 'It was all about mixing heritage with a modern twist. We kept the iconic elements but reimagined them for today's style-savvy runners and sneakerheads.' The ABZORB 2010 kicks off the drop, and is now available at New Balance stores in The Exchange TRX and Pavilion KL, as well as online. The ABZORB 2000 follows in June — just in time to elevate your sneaker game. The ABZORB 2010 is now available online and at New Balance stores in The Exchange TRX and Pavilion KL. The ABZORB 2000 will follow in June 2025.
