Former TUI stewardess Charlotte May Lee was arrested in the Sri Lankan capital of Columbo after she allegedly smuggled an estimated £1.2 million worth of kush into the country
Brit Charlotte May Lee has broken her silence following her arrest after allegedly smuggling drugs into Sri Lanka – including her despair at having to eat “too spicy” food.
Lee, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was apprehended in the country’s capital Columbo last week after she was allegedly caught with 46kg of the synthetic strain of cannabis kush, worth an estimated £1.2 million, in her suitcase. The former TUI stewardess had arrived into the country from Bangkok, Thailand, before being taken into custody by police at Bandaranaike Airport on Monday. She has since been detained in the woman’s ward of Negombo Prison just north of the capital.
The Brit has claimed she had “no idea” there were drugs in her suitcase and has been eager to share her side of the story, including going days without food as she feels the meals are “too spicy.” Should Lee be found guilty, she could face years behind bars.
Here are seven bombshells from the saga so far…
Claim drugs were planted
Lee has vigorously defended herself and denied intentionally smuggling drugs into Sri Lanka, claiming the huge amount of synthetic cannabis must have been planted. Speaking to Mail Online, she said: “I had never seen them before. I didn’t expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport. I thought it was going to be filled with all my stuff.”
She claimed to have left her bags at a hotel before heading for a night out in Bangkok and did not check them the following morning as she had packed them before she went out.
“They must have planted it then,” she continued. “I know who did it.”
Avoiding prison food
The Brit has complained about conditions inside the prison, taking a particular dislike to the food on offer to inmates. Lee told the outlet that she had complained to her legal representatives about the standard of meals inside the jail.
“I’ve not eaten in two days because the food is just too spicy for me,” Lee said. “I have told my lawyers – I have three of them – that I need different food. They said they would sort that but they still haven’t. I don’t know why.”
Grim prison conditions
The ex-TUI cabin crew employee claimed she has been forced to sleep on a concrete floor and that she needs to use her own jumper as a pillow. Lee also said she had not been given a change of cloths and had been denied access to her ADHD medication.
Prison staff only offered to give her sleeping tablets that she said “properly knock you out.” Lee added there was no real shower, instead prisoners were forced to use a bucket to pour over themselves.
The Brit and other prisoners are also only allowed to spend two or three hours outside, although this can sometimes be longer if there are a lot of women in court on that particular day.
‘Can’t trust’ lawyers
Lee said she “can’t trust’ many people in prison, including the lawyers. She claimed prison staff and lawyers “don’t care about you” and that she has nothing inside the jail, although other prisoners have been willing to share some items with her.
The Londoner is facing one charge of possessing illegal drugs and another of importing illegal drugs into the country.
Lee ‘completely lost’
An unnamed legal source told Mail Online Lee appeared “completely” lost as the magnitude of the situation took its toll. “She was crying a lot and was all on her own,” the source added.
“It looked like she didn’t have any idea about what was going on,” the source continued. They added it was unclear what was going to happen to her in the near future.
Struggle to contact family
Lee has claimed to have struggled to get in touch with family members, not even being able to write them a letter. She added: “There is no communication. You are told nothing. I couldn’t arrange an e-visit.”
The Brit did admit being able to speak with some of the other female inmates in English and that they have shared biscuits with her. Other Brits in the prison are men, according to the detainee, and that she is unable to speak with them as they are held elsewhere in the jail.
Scandal-hit prison
Trainee nail technician Lee could be transferred to Welikada Prison in Colombo in the near future, according to the legal source. The prison is a maximum security facility that holds both men and women.
But it is not without controversy. The prison was the site of riots in 2012 where 27 people died. It has also bee branded “hell” for women with maggots and rats running rife around cramped cells.
