Latest CCTV emerges as Thai police rubbish Bella Culley’s drug torture claims | News UK

Thai police rubbished a British teenager’s claims that she was forced to smuggle drugs out of Thailand
(Credits: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPres)

A Thai police chief has disputed Bella May Culley’s defence that she was tortured into smuggling drugs as he presented CCTV of her ‘calmly’ walking through passport control by herself.

Bella Culley, 19, from Billingham, County Durham, faces life in Georgian prison after being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport on May 10 for allegedly smuggling a considerable amount of illegal drugs in her suitcase from Thailand.

Her lawyer, Mr Malkhaz Salakaia, said Bella, from Billingham, County Durham, had been threatened with a hot iron to force her into trafficking 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish.

But Lieutenant General Choengron Rimpadee said that ‘there is totally no factual basis to her claims’ while presenting airport CCTV footage showing Bella walking through passport control at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Two photographs side by side: one of Bella Culley post-arrest and the other is a selfie of her in a bikini with a flower in her hair
Bella Culley was arrested for allegedly smuggling illegal drugs into Georgia (Picture: EAST2WEST / FACEBOOK)

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He added: ‘There isn’t a evidence in any respect that any immigration or cops forced or threatened the suspect to smuggle drugs in a foreign country.’

It got here after the teenager broke down in tears at Tbilisi City Court, as she pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking illegal drugs.

DRUGS SEIZED / British woman Bella May Culley , 19, has been detained at Tbilisi airport in Georgia on suspicion of carrying 14kg of cannabis, which could lead to 20 years in jail or even a life sentence, according to the country???s Interior Ministry.
British woman Bella May Culley,19, has been detained at Tbilisi airport in Georgia on suspicion of carrying 14kg of cannabis(Credits: Prime time/east2west news)

Bella, who is eighteen weeks pregnant, showed her scarred wrist to the court, telling the judge: ‘I didn’t wish to do that. I used to be forced to do that through torture.

‘I just desired to travel. I’m an excellent person. I’m a student at university. I’m a clean person. I don’t do drugs.’

Mr Salakia said the teenager was not aware of what was in her luggage and she or he had allegedly tried to approach a policeman for help but he was a part of the criminal group too.

He said: ‘She was instructed to fly to Georgia – she didn’t even know where Georgia was situated geographically.’

He claimed his client was told she could be met by people in Tbilisi airport but she was as an alternative intercepted by a customs officer.

Culley was detained for 52 days while prosecutors investigated the origins of 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish present in her travel bag.

Judge Lela Kalichenko has denied her bail, with the subsequent hearing scheduled for July 10.

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