Tbilisi, Georgia – A 19-year-old British student, Bella Culley, from Billingham on Teesside, remains incarcerated in Georgia on serious drug trafficking charges. Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia—who specializes in juvenile law—has publicly expressed frustration with the support, or lack thereof, provided by the British embassy in Tbilisi.
Arrest and Allegations
Bella was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport on 10 May 2025 after Georgian authorities discovered 12 kg of marijuana and 2 kg of hashish in her luggage . Under Georgian law, such amounts carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison or even life imprisonment .
Significantly, the teenager claims she was coerced into transporting the drugs by a British criminal gang operating in Thailand, resorting to torture and threats . During a July hearing, Bella pleaded not guilty, stating: “I didn’t want to do this, I was forced under torture. I just wanted to travel … I don’t do drugs.” .
Bella’s predicament is further complicated by her pregnancy, currently at an advanced stage of approximately five months .
Legal Negotiations and Financial Burden
As legal proceedings progress, Bella’s family faces immense financial strain. Georgian prosecutors are reportedly demanding a “substantial” sum—estimated at £100,000—as part of a plea-bargain or release arrangement, roughly half the street value of the seized drugs .
With limited resources—Bella’s mother does not own property in the UK, and her father resides in Vietnam—raising such a sum has become a near-impossible task .
Negotiations over a plea offer are ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for 9 October 2025 after a last-minute adjournment in early September . Meanwhile, the defence has proposed bail secured by a bond of 50,000 lari (about £13,750), arguing that Bella poses low flight risk and is willing to cooperate—an offer which the prosecution has rejected .
Embassy’s Role Under Scrutiny
Lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia has taken issue with the British embassy’s involvement—or perceived lack thereof. He notes that only one in-person visit was made to Bella in prison, on 16 May, and no written support or reference letters have been provided. Moreover, no visit or check has been made regarding her health or her baby’s .
“I am dissatisfied with the British authorities for not supporting my client,” Salakaia stated .
In response, the UK Foreign Office issued a statement: “We are supporting a British woman who is detained in Georgia and are in contact with her family and the local authorities.” —but diplomats have otherwise remained tight-lipped.
Broader Implications and Human Cost
The case raises pressing questions about the vulnerability of young foreign nationals caught in high-stakes drug smuggling operations—and the extent of diplomatic and consular assistance they receive. Georgian legal experts emphasize that, though factors like pregnancy, inexperience, and lack of criminal history might warrant leniency, the weight of the offence severely limits judicial flexibility .
As October’s hearing looms, Bella and her family fight not only for legal justice, but also for human compassion—hoping the embassy, public pressure, or legal channels can help secure her release so that she may give birth outside prison walls.