A 21-year-old former British cabin crew member has been arrested at Sri Lanka’s main international airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle 46kg of high-grade cannabis (Kush) into the country, with an estimated street value of £1.15 million.
Charlotte May Lee, from Coulsdon, south London, was detained on Monday after arriving in Colombo on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand. Sri Lankan officials have described the seizure as the largest haul of Kush ever recorded at the airport.
Customs officers at Bandaranaike International Airport discovered dozens of vacuum-packed bundles tightly packed in Lee’s luggage. Photographs released by Sri Lanka’s Customs Narcotics Control Unit show officers standing over the massive consignment.
Largest Kush Seizure on Record at Colombo Airport
Officials estimate the street value of the drugs at 460 million Sri Lankan rupees, or approximately £1.15 million. Sources within Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) claim the consignment was likely destined for “high-end local buyers”.
Lee has been remanded in custody pending further investigation. She reportedly sent messages via Snapchat shortly after her arrest, telling friends she was being held at a police headquarters. The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is providing consular support to her family.
Background and Social Media Reaction
Miss Lee, a former TUI cabin crew member, had recently been working as a lash technician. Friends have expressed disbelief, describing her as a “hard worker” with “no red flags.” One friend said: “I couldn’t believe it. She’s a nice girl.
Social media posts leading up to the arrest show Lee enjoying time on beaches in Thailand and boarding planes. A TikTok video posted just hours before her arrest tagged her location as Bangkok, with images of a flight and scenic views.
Her recent trip was reportedly to celebrate her 21st birthday with her sister in Thailand. She had returned briefly to the UK in May before heading out again, without telling many of her friends.
Second UK Woman Arrested in Drug Case Abroad
The arrest follows closely behind that of Bella May Culley, 18, from County Durham, who was detained in Georgia earlier this month for allegedly trying to smuggle 14kg of cannabis from Thailand via the UAE. Culley now faces a possible life sentence under Georgian drug laws.
Culley’s lawyer claims she was “visibly shaken” and may have been unaware of the contents of her luggage. The similarities between the cases have prompted growing concern over young British women being used as drug mules in South and Southeast Asia.
Foreign Office Involvement and Next Steps
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) said:
“We are supporting a British woman who has been arrested in Sri Lanka and are in contact with her family and the local authorities.”
Miss Lee remains in custody while Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau investigates the origin of the drugs, potential accomplices, and the final destination of the cannabis.
