TBILISI, GEORGIA – A 19-year-old British woman who was arrested in Georgia on major drug charges reached a plea deal that could drastically reduce her sentence, after her family paid more than 184,000 dollars in a negotiated settlement.
From airport arrest to high-stakes negotiation
Bella May Culley, a teenager from Teesside in northeast England, was detained at Tbilisi International Airport in May 2025. Customs officials said they found 12 kilograms of marijuana and 2 kilograms of hashish in her luggage — an amount that in Georgia typically carries penalties of up to 15 years or even life imprisonment.
Culley’s lawyer, Malkhaz Salakhaia, told Georgian media that her client appeared to bear visible signs of torture when she arrived in custody. Culley, who is pregnant, claimed she was abducted and beaten in Thailand before being coerced into carrying the drugs across borders. Her case quickly drew attention for its mix of criminal, humanitarian and international dimensions.
The 184,000-dollar settlement
According to her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, the family transferred 500,000 lari (around 184,000 USD) as part of a legal settlement permitted under Georgian law. Such agreements can allow reduced penalties in exchange for compensation or cooperation.
Lawyer Salakhaia said the arrangement with prosecutors was near completion.
“THE AGREEMENT WITH THE PROSECUTION IS IN ITS FINAL STAGE. ALL TERMS HAVE BEEN MADE CLEAR TO MY CLIENT AND HER FAMILY”,
he explained in a statement.
A likely two-year sentence – and a possible pardon
Preliminary terms of the deal indicate that Culley could serve two years in prison, instead of the far longer sentence the charges normally warrant. Final judgment was expected on Monday, with the outcome closely watched by both British observers and Georgian legal commentators.
Her defence team did not rule out a future presidential pardon, which could be especially significant given her pregnancy. If sentenced, she may be required to give birth while under detention, a situation that human rights advocates in the region have described as deeply concerning.
Mystery before the arrest
Before her detention in Georgia, Culley had been reported missing in Thailand. She initially pleaded not guilty and insisted she was a victim of trafficking and coercion. Whether she has since changed her plea as part of the deal remains unclear.
How the teenager became entangled in an international drug network remains unknown. What is certain is that for her family, the case has come at a heavy emotional and financial cost.
Balancing justice and mercy
The case has stirred discussion in Georgia and abroad about the balance between strict drug laws and compassionate justice. With her verdict approaching, Culley’s future — and that of her unborn child — depends on how far the Georgian court and possibly the president are willing to extend leniency.
• 12 kg marijuana, 2 kg hashish seized at arrival
• 184,000 USD paid by family under settlement terms
• 2-year prison term possible instead of life sentence
• Presidential pardon still under consideration