A 21-year-old former flight attendant from Croydon is in custody in Sri Lanka after allegedly trying to smuggle what authorities say is the largest cannabis haul ever intercepted at Colombo’s main airport.
Charlotte May Lee, of Coulsdon, was arrested on May 12 at Bandaranaike International Airport after arriving on a flight from Bangkok. Authorities say they found 46 kilograms of marijuana—described as a potent strain of kush—hidden in her luggage. The stash is estimated to be worth around £1.2 million and was reportedly intended for high-end buyers in Sri Lanka.
Lee is currently being held while the country’s Police Narcotics Bureau investigates. A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office said they are in contact with both Lee’s family and local authorities, offering consular support.
A friend claims Lee sent a video from custody via Snapchat, briefly showing herself and saying she was okay. The friend also said Lee had traveled to Thailand last month for her birthday, returned to the UK, and left again without explaining her plans.
A video posted to her TikTok account on the day of her arrest appears to show her on a flight over an island, tagged as Bangkok.
Under Sri Lankan law, Lee faces a potential life sentence, though experts say she could receive between 20 and 25 years. Technically, the death penalty is possible for drug trafficking, but the country has maintained a moratorium on executions since the 1970s.
The arrest comes just days after 18-year-old Bella May Culley was detained in Georgia for allegedly trying to smuggle cannabis and hash into Tbilisi International Airport. Authorities in that case say she was carrying 34 sealed packages of marijuana and 20 packages of hashish.
