Overview

• Bella May Culley, 18, was arrested in Georgia after allegedly attempting to smuggle 14kg of cannabis and is being held in Tbilisi Prison Number 5, known for poor living conditions.
• Charlotte May Lee, 21, was detained in Sri Lanka for allegedly carrying synthetic cannabis worth £1.2 million and faces a potential sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison.
• Both women deny the charges against them, and their cases highlight the vulnerability of young travelers to exploitation by organized crime networks.
• Levi Whalley, a UK woman previously convicted of drug smuggling, has shared advice for Culley and Lee, urging honesty and reflecting on her own experiences.
• The cases have drawn attention to the harsh realities of foreign prisons and the increasing targeting of travelers by drug trafficking organizations.