Who is Bella May Culley? British Teen Arrested in Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia – An 18-year-old British student, Bella May Culley, has been arrested in Georgia for allegedly smuggling drugs into the country. She now faces up to 20 years or life in prison.

Culley, who is from Billingham, County Durham, was caught at Tbilisi International Airport. Authorities say she was found with 14kg (30 pounds) of cannabis, packed in 34 sealed bags, and 20 packages of hashish.

She had recently traveled to Thailand for a holiday. Her family lost contact with her on May 10, and she was later declared missing. Her last known location was near Bangkok.

On Wednesday, she appeared in a Tbilisi court. Culley did not speak when questioned by the judge and chose to remain silent. The court ordered that she be kept in custody.

Social Media Clues Before Arrest

Before her arrest, Bella posted several videos on TikTok and Instagram. She showed herself smoking what appeared to be cannabis and flaunting large amounts of cash.

In one video from April 1, she described her lifestyle as “Bonnie and Clyde,” referencing the famous outlaw couple. She captioned a post:
“I don’t care if we on the runnnn baby long as I’m next to youuu.”

In another video from March 10, she seemed to smoke cannabis in various travel spots. Her last post came on May 9.

Her family, unaware she had flown to Georgia, began searching for her in Thailand. Her father Neil Culley and aunt Kerrie flew there, hoping to find her.

Cleveland Police confirmed on Tuesday that Bella had been arrested in Georgia. A video aired on local TV showed her being led in handcuffs into the Central Criminal Police Department in Tbilisi.

Prison Conditions Raise Concerns

Bella is now held at Tbilisi Prison No.5, Georgia’s only women’s prison. Human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have previously criticized the prison.

Reports describe it as overcrowded, dirty, and in poor condition. Bathrooms were labeled “filthy,” and the air smelled of sweat, waste, and smoke.

Family Speaks Out

Bella’s mother, Lyanne Kennedy, said she last received a message from her daughter on May 10 at 5:30 pm, when Bella promised to video call her.

“She was always posting on social media,” said Lyanne. “When she stopped, I knew something was wrong.”

Lyanne added that she begged her daughter not to go to Thailand, worried about her safety.

“She just wanted to meet up with some friends,” she said. “But I didn’t know any of them.”

Bella’s father was told by Thai police to check with immigration services. The family also contacted an airline, which said Bella had booked a flight but never completed the payment.

“She was supposed to fly back to the UK via Frankfurt,” Lyanne said. “But she never arrived. I just want her home and safe.”

For now, Bella remains in custody as her legal team works on her defense. Her lawyer told reporters:
“She has the right to remain silent. We will share more once a decision is made.”

Who is Bella May Culley?

Culley, from Billingham, County Durham, had recently gone travelling following the completion of a course at Middlesbrough College.

According to her family, she hoped to study to become a nurse after she returned from travelling, and regularly posted updates on her social media accounts.

She was in regular contact with her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, and had initially flown to Asia to see her father, Neil Culley, who lives in Vietnam.