Brit Faces 20 Years in Notorious Sri Lankan Prison Over £1.2m Drug Bust

A 21-year-old British national, Charlotte May Lee, is facing a potential 20-year prison sentence in Sri Lanka after being apprehended at the airport with 46 kilograms of a synthetic drug, valued at approximately £1.2 million. The arrest occurred last week following her arrival from Thailand. A friend of Ms. Lee, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed deep concern about her situation, stating, "Her life is in the balance, and she's scared." The alleged crime has drawn attention to the notoriously overcrowded and dangerous Welikada Prison in Colombo, where inmates have reported inhumane conditions, including rats and maggots in their food. This prison has also been the site of several deadly riots. While another young woman, Bella Cali, was also recently arrested for drug smuggling in Georgia, there is no indication of a connection between the two cases. Ms. Lee's case highlights the severe penalties for drug trafficking in Sri Lanka and the challenging conditions faced by inmates within the country's prison system.