British Teen Freed: The Georgia Drug Smuggling Case
British teenager Bella May Culley, pregnant and previously missing in Thailand, was released from a Georgian prison as part of a plea deal involving drug smuggling charges. She faced up to life imprisonment but was released after serving five months. Her family paid a hefty fine, securing her freedom.
- Country:
- Georgia
British teenager Bella May Culley, who faced drug smuggling charges in Georgia, was released on Monday following a plea deal. The 19-year-old, who is pregnant, was arrested in May at Tbilisi Airport and accused of smuggling substantial amounts of marijuana and hashish into the country.
Culley's ordeal ended when a Georgian court sentenced her to five months and 25 days, precisely the time she had already spent in detention. Her family also paid approximately $184,000 as part of the plea agreement. Georgian prosecutors had initially considered a two-year sentence but opted for the shorter duration.
Culley, originally from Teesside, England, had pleaded not guilty, citing torture in Thailand as a reason she was forced to carry the drugs. Her lawyer highlighted visible signs of torture upon her arrival in Georgia. Now released, Culley plans to leave the country with her mother, Lyanne Kennedy.
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