British teen arrested in Georgia for drug offences

Bella Culley's family is being supported by the Foreign Office

A British teenager has been arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia, on suspicion of drug offences.

Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham on Teesside, who had gone missing in Thailand, has been charged with illegally buying, possessing and importing large quantities of narcotics including marijuana.

Georgian Police have said, if found guilty, she could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment.

Miss Culley did not speak during an initial hearing before she was sent to an all-female pre-trial detention facility in the city of Rustavi, her lawyer said.

Ia Todua, who has been appointed by the state to represent Miss Culley, confirmed she arrived in Georgia from Thailand on Saturday and had been held in temporary detention until the hearing on Tuesday.

She said other lawyers had been in touch to represent Miss Culley and the British consular service planned a meeting.

Ms Todua said: "She was so clenched, she is a child, in my personal opinion.

"When she was explained the essence of the accusation she was worried to speak.

"When we asked her to testify at that moment she decided to choose silence."

The Foreign Office has confirmed that it is "supporting the family of a British woman who is detained in Georgia".

Bella Culley was taken into custody by Georgia police who routinely blur the faces of suspects in official photographs and videos

Georgian Police said officers had seized up to 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and just over 2kg (4.4lbs) of the narcotic drug hashish in a travel bag at Tbilisi International Airport.

A spokesperson said the arrest was the result of a joint operation between multiple departments.

Ms Culley had been charged on Monday with "the illegal purchase and possession of a particularly large amount of narcotics, the illegal purchase and possession of the narcotic drug marijuana, and the illegal importation of the drug into Georgia", the force said.

Cleveland Police has confirmed an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested in Georgia "on suspicion of drugs offences" and remains in custody.