British teenager being held in Georgia on drug prices | UK information

A British teenager is being held in jail in Georgia on suspicion of drug offences.

Bella Culley, 18, was believed to have gone lacking in Thailand earlier than she was detained 3,700 miles away in Tbilisi on Saturday.

Georgian authorities mentioned Culley, from Billingham on Teesside, faces as much as 20 years in jail or a life sentence over the fees.

She appeared in court docket in Tbilisi on Tuesday accused of illegally shopping for, possessing and importing massive portions of narcotics together with marijuana.

The Overseas Workplace confirmed that it was “supporting the household of a British girl who’s detained in Georgia”.

Cleveland police, on Teesside, confirmed an 18-year-old girl from Billingham had been arrested in Georgia on suspicion of drug offences and remained in custody.

Georgian police mentioned officers had seized as much as 12kg of marijuana and simply over 2kg of cannabis in a journey bag at Tbilisi worldwide airport.

Ia Todua, a lawyer who has been appointed by the state to symbolize Culley, mentioned {the teenager} was being held at an all-female pre-trial detention facility within the metropolis of Rustavi.

She mentioned {the teenager} arrived in Georgia from Thailand on Saturday and had been held in momentary detention till the listening to on Tuesday.

Different attorneys are mentioned to have been in contact to symbolize Culley and the British consular service is known to offer help.

Todua mentioned: “She was so clenched, she is a baby, in my private opinion.

“When she was defined the essence of the accusation she was nervous to talk. Once we requested her to testify at that second she determined to decide on silence.”

Culley’s household believed she had gone lacking in Thailand earlier than Georgian authorities introduced her arrest this week.

It’s thought she flew to the Philippines simply after Easter and had been travelling with a good friend across the islands earlier than flying to Thailand on round 3 Could.

Earlier than the information of her arrest, Culley’s mom, Lyanne Kennedy, mentioned she had not heard from her daughter since Saturday and her telephone appeared to have been turned off.

Kennedy informed Teesside Reside: “The final message she despatched was to me and that was on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to FaceTime me later. That was the final message anybody has acquired from what we will work out to date.”

Culley’s father had flown to Bangkok to seek for his daughter, Kennedy mentioned, including: “I simply need her house and protected or to listen to her beautiful little voice.”

{The teenager} had posted footage of her travels on social media, sharing pictures from Boracay and Palawan islands within the Philippines final month.