Charlotte May Lee, a 22-year-old British air stewardess accused of attempting to smuggle synthetic cannabis worth £1.2 million into Sri Lanka, has been moved to a different prison following deadly riots that resulted in 30 fatalities. Lee has been held for nearly 18 months on drug mule allegations but has not yet been formally charged.
Sources close to Lee reported her transfer from the Negombo prison, located north of Colombo, due to safety concerns. The riots, which occurred earlier this year, involved a two-day conflict between gangs at the overcrowded jail, leading to the deaths of ten prison officials and 20 inmates. Negombo prison, designed for 650 inmates, was holding approximately 2,400 people at the time of the violence.
Insiders cited by the Daily Mirror indicated that Lee is coping well following her relocation to Kuliyappitiya prison. A source described Lee as traumatized by the riots and expressed relief that she survived and was moved. The source added that Lee is isolated in a foreign country and finds the situation frightening but is now in a new facility. The 22-year-old is reportedly learning the local language to better communicate with other inmates, having previously struggled with a language barrier. She is said to be eager to return home but understands her current limitations.
Sri Lankan authorities claim to have discovered 46 kilograms of synthetic cannabis in Lee's luggage at Colombo airport in May of the previous year. The drugs, reportedly valued at £1.2 million, were found in vacuum-sealed bags. Lee maintains she was unaware of their presence, asserting they were planted in her luggage during a holiday to Bangkok, Thailand.
Lee had previously shared that she was sharing a cell with five other women and sleeping on a thin mattress on a concrete floor. Her lawyer, Sampath Perera, stated that his priority is to ensure his client receives appropriate legal representation.
Legal sources in Sri Lanka have indicated that if convicted, Lee could be transferred to Welikada prison in Colombo, the country's largest maximum-security facility. This newspaper has previously reported on Welikada prison's grim conditions, with accounts describing it as a "hell" for female inmates, citing issues such as maggots found near food and rats in overcrowded cells. Historical accounts from 2012 and 2011 detailed severe overcrowding, with cells designed for 75 inmates housing around 150 to 650 people. Riots have occurred at Welikada in the past, including a 2012 incident that left 27 inmates dead and another in November 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in eight deaths and 52 injuries.
Sri Lanka faces a widespread prison overcrowding crisis, with the prison department reporting inmate numbers exceeding capacity by over 20,000. Additionally, there is a reported shortage of nearly 850 male and female prison guards. This systemic issue raises questions about its potential impact on sentencing decisions should Lee be found guilty.
Lee, who was training to be an eyelash technician, was presented at Negombo Magistrates Court last year, facing charges of possessing and importing illegal drugs. She was issued a detention order to remain in the country. A legal source present at the hearing described Lee as appearing lost and distressed, crying and seemingly unaware of the proceedings. The source indicated she could face a fine or be sent to Welikada Prison.
The confiscated drugs, described by police as the largest seizure of illegal substances at the airport, were allegedly intended for "high-end local buyers." Video footage from the scene showed the large quantity of drugs packed in vacuum-sealed bags within suitcases. Officials from the Customs Narcotics Control Unit stated this was the largest detection of Kush since the airport's opening, with sources estimating the consignment's value at approximately 460 million Sri Lankan rupees.
Friends of Lee have indicated she posted on Snapchat claiming to be held at a police headquarters. One friend described her as a "nice girl" and a "hard worker," expressing shock at the allegations. Another friend noted the presence of an English woman's voice, sounding like Lee, in arrest footage. A family friend conveyed extreme worry, stating she was arrested, then seemingly abandoned, and was very scared. She has reportedly been informed of a potential 20 to 25-year sentence if convicted, with the British Embassy having warned her that her departure would not be imminent.
Lee previously worked as a cabin crew member for TUI on a summer contract. Her social media displayed positive experiences in her stewardess uniform. After leaving TUI, she began training as a lash technician. Friends recounted her travels to Thailand for her 21st birthday in April, followed by a return to the UK in May, after which she reportedly departed again without mentioning her destination, though she had previously expressed enjoyment of Thailand and a desire to work there. Her last known social media activity before her arrest was a TikTok video posted on a plane over an island, tagged in Bangkok.
A Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed they are providing support to a British woman arrested in Sri Lanka and are in contact with her family and local authorities.