Bella May Culley claims she's 'pregnant' as Brit teen faces life in Georgia hellhole prison

A woman arrested in Georgia on drugs smuggling charges reportedly told a court she is "pregnant" after allegedly being caught with kilos of cannabis. Bella May Culley, 18, is accused of taking cannabis into , where she was detained at Tbilisi International Airport. 

She had been the subject of a after she was reported missing while she was believed to be holidaying in Thailand. Georgian TV outlet Rustavi 2 reported that Bella May Culley told the Tbilisi court she was “pregnant”. It also said the British citizen “chose to exercise her right to remain silent regarding the charges”. The channel gave no further details about her reported .

Culley’s lawyer said: “The person under my protection is currently exercising the right to silence and, accordingly, I will provide all the detailed information later, when she decides to provide detailed information to the investigative bodies regarding the charges brought against her.”

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The judge remanded her in custody. The woman earlier went missing in Thailand, according to reports.

“Bella May Cooley was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport,” said a report. "Law enforcement officers planned the arrest when they checked the British citizen's luggage.

“The scanner showed a suspicious substance in the bag. Customs officers took the suitcase to a special room and opened it. It was determined that the girl [reported as being 19 not 18] was hiding up to 12 kilograms of hermetically packaged marijuana and 2 kilograms of hashish.

“The drugs seized during the search are the main evidence in the case. What other evidence the investigation has against the British citizen, the defendant's lawyer is not talking at this stage.”

Her lawyer had sought her release on bail.

“What exactly Bella May Culley brought to Georgia in a particularly large amount of drugs - intensive investigative efforts are underway to determine this.

“It is not excluded that other persons may also be held responsible in the drug trafficking case.

“The charge brought against the British citizen carries a sentence of up to 20 years or life imprisonment.”

Bella was on a trip-of-a-lifetime after first flying out to the Philippines in April, before hopping around its many islands. On May 3, she flew to Thailand, and was initially in regular contact with mum Lyanne Kennedy.

Yesterday, it emerged her family had flown out to Thailand in the hopes of tracking the teen down, just hours before the news of her arrest was made public.

Speaking to Lyanne said: "She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks. She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about May 3.

"The last message she sent was to me and that was on on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to Facetime me later. That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now.

"I’m just waiting on her dad who is now in Bangkok to get back with any more information. I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice."

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