Ex-Flight Attendant Faces 25 Years in Sri Lankan Jail Over £1.2M Drug Haul
A 21-year-old British woman is facing the prospect of up to 25 years behind bars after being caught with a massive haul of synthetic drugs in Sri Lanka.
Charlotte May Lee, a former air stewardess from Chipstead, Surrey, was arrested on Monday after arriving in Colombo on a flight from Thailand. Customs officials allegedly discovered 46 kilograms of the potent synthetic drug “kush” in her luggage — a substance said to be 25 times stronger than the deadly opioid fentanyl. Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs at £1.2 million.
Now held in a cramped prison cell with 20 other women and barely enough space to lie down, Charlotte awaits her court appearance while her family pleads for support.
“We’re absolutely frantic with worry,” said a family friend. “She’s terrified, alone, and left to rot in a foreign jail.”
A second friend revealed the severity of the charges: “She’s been told that, due to the scale of the drugs involved, she could face 20 to 25 years in prison. The British Embassy made it clear she’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Charlotte, who previously worked as a stewardess for travel company TUI and also as a part-time beautician, had flown to Thailand several weeks ago. Loved ones say she had recently been struggling with a difficult breakup and mentioned plans to meet a man during her trip.
Her case mirrors that of 18-year-old Brit Bella Culley, who was arrested just last week in Georgia with £200,000 worth of cannabis allegedly sourced from Thailand.
Charlotte’s family and friends are now desperately seeking answers and legal help as she remains in custody under grim conditions.
