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STV News
15-06-2025
- STV News
Banged up abroad: How many Brits are being arrested over alleged drug smuggling?
The number of British citizens detained abroad over alleged drug smuggling has surged over the past few months, with one charity sounding the alarm over growing numbers of women affected. Bella May Culley, Cameron Bradford and Charlotte May Lee have all made headlines for being locked up overseas. All are young women, all were arrested over alleged narcotics smuggling, and all recently travelled to Thailand. It's a pattern which has come to the attention of Prisoners Abroad – a charity assisting Britons who are arrested and detained overseas. The charity said almost half of its new cases over the past year have involved arrests for drugs offences. Young Brits and British women make up the majority of these, involved in 62% and 65% respectively in 2024. But just how many people from the UK are behind bars abroad for similar reasons – and what could happen to them? What the data shows Hundreds of British citizens are currently detained across the world, accused of narcotics smuggling offences. Prisoners Abroad has told ITV News it is currently supporting 431 people around the globe who are facing drugs charges. This includes 170 people in Europe, 72 behind bars in Asia, and 71 in jails in the Middle East. According to Prisoners Abroad, the country with the most locked-up British citizens is the United Arab Emirates, where the charity is supporting some 51 inmates facing drugs charges. There are fears social media platforms are being used to recruit young people into smuggling. The UAE is followed by Spain and Australia, with 34 and 31 Brits behind bars respectively. In Thailand, there are 22 who have been detained over drugs charges, according to Prisoners Abroad's figures shared with ITV News. Cases of British people being arrested and imprisoned abroad peaked in the year 2014 to 2015, Prisoners Abroad have said, with cases declining in subsequent years. Instances hit a low during the pandemic, but the charity has reported a steady increase since, with total numbers of new cases of British people being detained over drugs charges increasing year-on-year since 2020. Last year, this figure reached 243 new cases – up from 61 in the year 2020-2021. 'While the influx of recent high-profile cases can make this seem like a newly emerging issue, it's actually a pattern that's been materialising for several years,' the charity told ITV News. 'If numbers continue as they are, it looks likely that we will see the highest number of drugs arrests for the first time since 2014-15, and the highest number of total new arrests since 2015-16.' A timeline of arrests Prisoners Abroad has started working with 65 new cases of Britons held for alleged drug offences abroad since April 2025 alone. Since the beginning of the year, a spate of similar incidents have hit the headlines, some taking place within days of each other. January 21: Thomas Parker arrested in Bali Thomas Parker, a 32-year-old electrician from Cumbria, was detained earlier this year after allegedly picking up a package from a motorbike driver in Bali, Indonesia. Police accused him of acting suspiciously, before dropping it in a panic. A lab test later revealed it contained around a kilogram of MDMA. He dodged the death penalty after investigators determined the package wasn't directly linked to him, and was sentenced to ten months imprisonment on May 27. Thomas Parker, who is accused of drug offenses, walks to a holding cell after his trial hearing in Bali, Indonesia. / Credit: AP February 1: Three Brits arrested in Bali Jonathan Christopher Collyer, 28, and Lisa Ellen Stocker, 29, were arrested in Indonesia, after authorities accused them of smuggling cocaine in sachets of Angel Delight pudding mixture in their suitcases. Phineas Ambrose Float, 31, was arrested two days later, after a sting operation set up by police in which the other two suspects handed the drug to him. From left: Phineas Float, Jonathan Collyer, and Lisa Stocker are accused of smuggling nearly a kilogram of cocaine into Indonesia. / Credit: AP April 22: Cameron Bradford arrested in Munich Cameron Bradford, 21, was stopped and detained by authorities at Munich Airport on her way back from Thailand. She remains in custody in Germany after allegedly smuggling cannabis. May 5: Two Brits arrested in Valencia Spain's Guardia Civil arrested two British citizens who arrived from France after travelling to Thailand. According to Spanish media, police found 33 kilograms of cannabis in their luggage after stopping the pair, who were 'behaving suspiciously' in the airport. May 11: Charlotte May Lee arrested in Sri Lanka, and Bella May Culley arrested in Georgia Charlotte May Lee, from South London, was detained in Sri Lanka after police allegedly found £1.2 million of synthetic cannabis in the 21-year-old's suitcase after travelling from Thailand. Meanwhile, Bella May Culley was arrested in Georgia during a separate incident, after authorities accused her of 'illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics'. They said up to 12 kilograms of cannabis was found in her luggage at Tbilisi airport. Charlotte May Lee (left) and Bella May Culley (right). / Credit: Sri Lanka Police / RUSTAVI2 May 18: Two arrested in Ghana Two British citizens were arrested on the same day in 'two successful operations', Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission said. Brown-Frater Chyna Jade, a 23-year-old woman, was stopped en route to Gatwick by officers who claim they found 32 slabs of cannabis in her luggage. Three people, including 19-year-old British national Owusu Williams Christian, were arrested after travelling from Dubai. Authorities accused him of narcotics smuggling after finding almost 54 kilograms of cannabis in two suitcases. May 27: A 79-year-old man arrested in Chile A British man in his 70s was detained in Chile after travelling to the country from Mexico, police said. They claim five kilograms of methamphetamine was found in the bottom compartment of a suitcase in his possession. Why are numbers rising? Prisoners Abroad has partially linked a 'sudden explosion' of drugs-related arrests to a ripple effect from the Thai government's move to decriminalise cannabis in 2022. 'Some of this increase could be accounted for by the legalisation of cannabis for personal use in Thailand and the subsequent impact in other countries,' it said. 'People leave Thailand with drugs and are later arrested in countries of onwards travel, where these drugs are illegal.' Following a recent spate of alleged smuggling cases involving tourists, Thailand's government is set to roll out stricter rules on the sale of cannabis, restricting sales to those with a prescription only. More than 50 Brits have been detained in Thailand for allegedly attempting to smuggle cannabis since July 2024, according to a joint operation with UK authorities. A cannabis shop in Bangkok, Thailand. / Credit: AP On British soil, there has been an 'exponential increase' in the cannabis being found in airports, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has said Some 27 tonnes of the drug were seized in total, marking a five-fold increase on 2023. A spike in arrests saw 460 passengers detained after travelling from Thailand in 2024, with 108 arriving from Canada and a further 63 coming from the US. Despite many of the recent cases having links to Thailand, Prisoners Abroad told ITV News it may not be the only factor behind the recent explosion of drugs-related arrests. 'The quantities and frequency of these new cases suggest something wider at play,' the charity said. Penalties and punishments For those found guilty of narcotics smuggling, sentences vary across the world, with some countries, including Thailand, opting for capital punishment. In the UAE, where Prisoners Abroad believe the majority of Brits detained on drugs charges currently are, those found guilty can face life imprisonment or the death penalty. Smuggling drugs can also carry the death penalty in Indonesia. One 69-year-old British woman, Lindsay Sandiford, has been on death row in the country for more than a decade after authorities found cocaine in her suitcase at Bali's airport in 2012. British citizen Lindsay Sandiford in court in Bali in 2012. / Credit: AP Indonesia last carried out executions in 2016, where four people – three from Nigeria and one Indonesian citizen – were killed by firing squad over drugs offences. In Australia, where dozens of other Brits are being held on drugs charges, those convicted can face life in prison. Judges in Georgia could hand Bella May Culley life in prison if she is found guilty. Charlotte May Lee may face 25 years behind bars if convicted in Sri Lanka. Charlotte May Lee arriving at the Negombo Magistrate's Court What to do if someone you know is affected The UK Foreign Office has issued several guidelines for British citizens who are arrested abroad, and their families. Ask the local authorities, such as the police or prison, to tell the local British embassy or consulate the person has been arrested or put in prison and wants consular assistance. Get a local lawyer, or legal aid – but discuss costs before making an agreement. Tell the police or prison about any physical or mental health concerns you have, and any medication you take. Family or friends can contact the local British embassy, high commission, or consulate, or call the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on +44 (0)20 7008 5000, from anywhere in the world, 24/7. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
ITV News
15-06-2025
- ITV News
Banged up abroad: Mapping an 'explosion' of Brits being arrested over alleged drug smuggling
The number of British citizens detained abroad over alleged drug smuggling has surged over the past few months, with one charity sounding the alarm over growing numbers of women affected. Bella May Culley, Cameron Bradford and Charlotte May Lee have all made headlines for being locked up overseas. All are young women, all were arrested over alleged narcotics smuggling, and all recently travelled to Thailand. It's a pattern which has come to the attention of Prisoners Abroad - a charity assisting Britons who are arrested and detained overseas. The charity said almost half of its new cases over the past year have involved arrests for drugs offences. Young Brits and British women make up the majority of these, involved in 62% and 65% respectively in 2024. But just how many people from the UK are behind bars abroad for similar reasons - and what could happen to them? What the data shows Hundreds of British citizens are currently detained across the world, accused of narcotics smuggling offences. Prisoners Abroad has told ITV News it is currently supporting 431 people around the globe who are facing drugs charges. This includes 170 people in Europe, 72 behind bars in Asia, and 71 in jails in the Middle East. According to Prisoners Abroad, the country with the most locked-up British citizens is the United Arab Emirates, where the charity is supporting some 51 inmates facing drugs charges. There are fears social media platforms are being used to recruit young people into smuggling. The UAE is followed by Spain and Australia, with 34 and 31 Brits behind bars respectively. In Thailand, there are 22 who have been detained over drugs charges, according to Prisoners Abroad's figures shared with ITV News. Cases of British people being arrested and imprisoned abroad peaked in the year 2014 to 2015, Prisoners Abroad have said, with cases declining in subsequent years. Instances hit a low during the pandemic, but the charity has reported a steady increase since, with total numbers of new cases of British people being detained over drugs charges increasing year-on-year since 2020. Last year, this figure reached 243 new cases - up from 61 in the year 2020-2021. "While the influx of recent high-profile cases can make this seem like a newly emerging issue, it's actually a pattern that's been materialising for several years," the charity told ITV News. "If numbers continue as they are, it looks likely that we will see the highest number of drugs arrests for the first time since 2014-15, and the highest number of total new arrests since 2015-16." A timeline of arrests Prisoners Abroad has started working with 65 new cases of Britons held for alleged drug offences abroad since April 2025 alone. Since the beginning of the year, a spate of similar incidents have hit the headlines, some taking place within days of each other. January 21: Thomas Parker arrested in Bali Thomas Parker, a 32-year-old electrician from Cumbria, was detained earlier this year after allegedly picking up a package from a motorbike driver in Bali, Indonesia. Police accused him of acting suspiciously, before dropping it in a panic. A lab test later revealed it contained around a kilogram of MDMA. He dodged the death penalty after investigators determined the package wasn't directly linked to him, and was sentenced to ten months imprisonment on May 27. February 1: Three Brits arrested in Bali Jonathan Christopher Collyer, 28, and Lisa Ellen Stocker, 29, were arrested in Indonesia, after authorities accused them of smuggling cocaine in sachets of Angel Delight pudding mixture in their suitcases. Phineas Ambrose Float, 31, was arrested two days later, after a sting operation set up by police in which the other two suspects handed the drug to him. April 22: Cameron Bradford arrested in Munich Cameron Bradford, 21, was stopped and detained by authorities at Munich Airport on her way back from Thailand. She remains in custody in Germany after allegedly smuggling cannabis. May 5: Two Brits arrested in Valencia Spain's Guardia Civil arrested two British citizens who arrived from France after travelling to Thailand. According to Spanish media, police found 33 kilograms of cannabis in their luggage after stopping the pair, who were "behaving suspiciously" in the airport. May 11: Charlotte May Lee arrested in Sri Lanka, and Bella May Culley arrested in Georgia Charlotte May Lee, from South London, was detained in Sri Lanka after police allegedly found £1.2 million of synthetic cannabis in the 21-year-old's suitcase after travelling from Thailand. Meanwhile, Bella May Culley was arrested in Georgia during a separate incident, after authorities accused her of "illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics". They said up to 12 kilograms of cannabis was found in her luggage at Tbilisi airport. May 18: Two arrested in Ghana Two British citizens were arrested on the same day in "two successful operations", Ghana 's Narcotics Control Commission said. Brown-Frater Chyna Jade, a 23-year-old woman, was stopped en route to Gatwick by officers who claim they found 32 slabs of cannabis in her luggage. Three people, including 19-year-old British national Owusu Williams Christian, were arrested after travelling from Dubai. Authorities accused him of narcotics smuggling after finding almost 54 kilograms of cannabis in two suitcases. May 27: A 79-year-old man arrested in Chile A British man in his 70s was detained in Chile after travelling to the country from Mexico, police said. They claim five kilograms of methamphetamine was found in the bottom compartment of a suitcase in his possession. Why are numbers rising? Prisoners Abroad has partially linked a "sudden explosion" of drugs-related arrests to a ripple effect from the Thai government's move to decriminalise cannabis in 2022. "Some of this increase could be accounted for by the legalisation of cannabis for personal use in Thailand and the subsequent impact in other countries," it said. "People leave Thailand with drugs and are later arrested in countries of onwards travel, where these drugs are illegal." Following a recent spate of alleged smuggling cases involving tourists, Thailand's government is set to roll out stricter rules on the sale of cannabis, restricting sales to those with a prescription only. More than 50 Brits have been detained in Thailand for allegedly attempting to smuggle cannabis since July 2024, according to a joint operation with UK authorities. On British soil, there has been an "exponential increase" in the cannabis being found in airports, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has said Some 27 tonnes of the drug were seized in total, marking a five-fold increase on 2023. A spike in arrests saw 460 passengers detained after travelling from Thailand in 2024, with 108 arriving from Canada and a further 63 coming from the US. Despite many of the recent cases having links to Thailand, Prisoners Abroad told ITV News it may not be the only factor behind the recent explosion of drugs-related arrests. "The quantities and frequency of these new cases suggest something wider at play," the charity said. Penalties and punishments For those found guilty of narcotics smuggling, sentences vary across the world, with some countries, including Thailand, opting for capital punishment. In the UAE, where Prisoners Abroad believe the majority of Brits detained on drugs charges currently are, those found guilty can face life imprisonment or the death penalty. Smuggling drugs can also carry the death penalty in Indonesia. One 69-year-old British woman, Lindsay Sandiford, has been on death row in the country for more than a decade after authorities found cocaine in her suitcase at Bali's airport in 2012. Indonesia last carried out executions in 2016, where four people - three from Nigeria and one Indonesian citizen - were killed by firing squad over drugs offences. In Australia, where dozens of other Brits are being held on drugs charges, those convicted can face life in prison. Judges in Georgia could hand Bella May Culley life in prison if she is found guilty. Charlotte May Lee may face 25 years behind bars if convicted in Sri Lanka. What to do if someone you know is affected The UK Foreign Office has issued several guidelines for British citizens who are arrested abroad, and their families.
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
British man avoids death penalty after being caught with drugs in Bali
A court on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali sentenced a British man to 10 months in jail on Tuesday for drug offences after a charge that could carry the death penalty was dropped. Thomas Parker, from Cumbria in northwest England, was arrested on January 21 at a villa near Kuta beach, a popular tourist spot, after he allegedly collected a package containing drugs from a motorcycle taxi driver on a nearby street. Police officers said Parker was 'acting suspiciously' while he collected the package, according to the court document. He allegedly discarded it in a panic and fled when police approached him. He was traced back to the villa where he was staying and arrested. A lab test confirmed the package contained slightly over a kilogram (2.326 pounds) of MDMA, the main ingredient in Ecstasy, the document said. During the police investigation, the 32-year-old electrician was able to prove that he did not order the package. It was sent by a drug dealer friend, identified only as Nicky, whom Parker had known for around two years and spoke to regularly through the Telegram messaging app. Parker was told someone would pick it up shortly from him, and he was not promised money or anything else by Nicky in return. Police reduced the initial charge of drug trafficking, which carries a possible death sentence, to the less serious offence of hiding information from authorities after investigators determined that the package was not directly linked to him.
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
British man avoids death penalty after being caught with drugs in Bali
A court on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali sentenced a British man to 10 months in jail on Tuesday for drug offences after a charge that could carry the death penalty was dropped. Advertisement Thomas Parker, from Cumbria in northwest England, was arrested on January 21 at a villa near Kuta beach, a popular tourist spot, after he allegedly collected a package containing drugs from a motorcycle taxi driver on a nearby street. Police officers said Parker was 'acting suspiciously' while he collected the package, according to the court document. He allegedly discarded it in a panic and fled when police approached him. He was traced back to the villa where he was staying and arrested. A lab test confirmed the package contained slightly over a kilogram (2.326 pounds) of MDMA, the main ingredient in Ecstasy, the document said. During the police investigation, the 32-year-old electrician was able to prove that he did not order the package. It was sent by a drug dealer friend, identified only as Nicky, whom Parker had known for around two years and spoke to regularly through the Telegram messaging app. Advertisement Parker was told someone would pick it up shortly from him, and he was not promised money or anything else by Nicky in return. Police reduced the initial charge of drug trafficking, which carries a possible death sentence, to the less serious offence of hiding information from authorities after investigators determined that the package was not directly linked to him.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Brit arrested in Bali on drug charges avoids death penalty and is sentenced to 10 months in jail after ‘taking a package of drugs from a taxi driver'
A British man arrested in Bali for allegedly taking a package containing just over a kilogram of MDMA from a taxi driver has avoided the death penalty. Thomas Parker, from Cumbria, was arrested near Kuta beach in January after allegedly collecting a package from a taxi driver at a nearby street. The package contained slightly over a kilogram of MDMA, a party drug and the main ingredient in ecstasy, according to a lab test result cited in court documents. Parker, a 32-year-old electrician by trade, was initially charged with drug trafficking and could have faced the death penalty by firing squad if found guilty. But the trafficking charge was dropped after police investigators determined that the package was not directly linked to him. On Tuesday, the Denpasar District Court reportedly handed him just 10 months for drug possession. Parker repeatedly expressed his remorse in his final plea last week, and asked the panel of three judges to consider his situation and impose a lenient sentence. 'I am very sorry and apologise, I know it was a mistake,' Parker said, 'I promise not to repeat it again, because I really didn't know that (the package) was drugs.' According to the court document obtained by The Associated Press, Parker was noticed 'acting suspiciously' by officers while he was collecting the package. He allegedly discarded it in a panic and fled when police approached him. He was traced back to the villa where he was staying and was arrested. But Parker, in court, has maintained that he did not order the package and had initially refused to collect it, doing so only after a friend assured him it was safe and would not endanger him. The package was sent by a drug dealer friend, identified only as Nicky, who Parker had known for around two years and spoke to regularly through the Telegram messaging app. Parker was told someone would pick it up shortly from him, his lawyer, Edward Pangkahila said. Parker was not promised money or anything else by Nicky in return, Pangkahila said. During the police investigation, Parker was able to prove that he did not order the package. Authorities reduced the charge from trafficking to the less serious offence of hiding information from authorities. Prosecutors on May 6 sought a one-year prison term for Parker. However, under Indonesian legal system, judges have an important role as legal determinants in a trial. They could seek further charges if applicable laws are unclear or non-existent, meaning that the trafficking charge could be reinstated. Pangkahila said that Parker last met Nicky a year ago when he was on vacation in Thailand. As his friend was a dealer, Parker worried the package was filled with drugs. He panicked when he saw police officers on the street and and was approached by them, Pangkahila said. He was traced back to the 7 Seas Villas in North Kuta, where he was arrested. Police showed the discarded package to Parker, who allegedly admitted it was the package he had received earlier. They claimed they had found a light-brown powder inside later identified as MDMA. Police took the suspect to the narcotics office for processing back in January, and he has been remanded in custody since. The case went unreported until authorities showed a handcuffed Parker at a news conference on March 6. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office previously told MailOnline they were supporting a British man detained in Bali and are in contact with the local authorities. Indonesia has very strict drug laws and convicted traffickers can be executed by a firing squad. About 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections' data showed. Indonesia's last executions, of an Indonesian and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016.
