What started as a spontaneous trip to Sri Lanka has turned into a terrifying legal ordeal for 21-year-old Charlotte May Lee, a former TUI flight attendant who now finds herself behind bars in a foreign country.
After a short stint working on a “booze cruise” in Thailand, Charlotte’s plans took a sharp turn—landing her in one of Sri Lanka’s most notorious prisons, accused of drug smuggling.
The Shocking Arrest at the Airport
Charlotte was arrested on May 12 shortly after arriving at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport from Bangkok.
Wearing a stylish all-white outfit and sparkly sandals, she was pulled aside by airport officials.
What they found in her luggage shocked everyone: two large suitcases packed with 46 kilograms of vacuum-sealed Kush, a synthetic form of cannabis.
Photos obtained by MailOnline show the massive quantity of drugs laid out on a table at the Police Narcotic Unit.
Charlotte, looking visibly overwhelmed, was snapped standing near officers during the initial stages of the arrest.
“I Didn’t Know the Drugs Were There”
Speaking from behind bars in Negombo Prison, Charlotte insists she’s innocent and had no idea what was hidden in her bags.
“I thought they were just my clothes,” she said, recalling the moment authorities opened her suitcases.
“I didn’t expect anything like this. I had never seen those packages before.”
She explained that her packed bags had been left unattended at her Bangkok hotel room the night before her early flight.
After a night out, she grabbed them the next morning without rechecking them.
“They must have planted it then,” she said. “I know who did it.”
Seven Days in Bug-Infested Custody
After her arrest, Charlotte spent an entire week in custody at the Narcotics Unit.
She says she was forced to sleep on a bug-ridden sofa under constant watch from security guards.
The conditions were grim, and things didn’t improve when she was moved to Negombo Prison, one of the largest in the country, following her court appearance.
First Court Appearance: Alone and in Tears
Charlotte’s first court hearing took place the following Sunday.
A source who witnessed the proceedings described her as visibly distressed and disoriented.
“She was crying a lot and completely alone,” they said.
“She looked like she had no idea what was happening.”
She has been ordered to return to court every 14 days while her case remains under investigation.
Facing the Harsh Reality of Sri Lankan Prisons
If found guilty, Charlotte could be transferred to the infamous Welikada Prison in Colombo—a maximum security facility known for its brutal conditions.
The prison has a dark history, including a deadly riot in 2012 that killed 27 people.
For women, it’s described as a nightmare: overcrowded, unsanitary, and inhumane.
Charlotte describes the living conditions as horrific. “It’s like hell,” she said.
“I’m sleeping on a concrete floor with just my jumper as a pillow.
There are rats and maggots in the food. There’s a fan, but it barely works, and the TV doesn’t work either.”
No Medication, No Food, No Change of Clothes
To make matters worse, Charlotte claims she hasn’t eaten in days because the food is too spicy for her to stomach. She only has the clothes she was arrested in and says her ADHD medication has been withheld.
“I’m trying to stay positive, but it’s really hard,” she admitted.
“I feel like I don’t even have basic human rights here.
There are no beds, no blankets—just a corridor filled with women.”
A Quick Trip Gone Horribly Wrong
Charlotte says she chose to fly to Sri Lanka for a quick getaway while waiting for her Thai visa to be renewed.
“It was only a three-hour flight, and I’d never been before,” she said.
According to her, someone she trusted was supposed to meet her there.
Now, instead of enjoying a mini holiday, she’s stuck in a high-stakes legal battle.
What’s Next for Charlotte?
Charlotte is due back in court next week for her scheduled bi-weekly hearing.
Depending on how the investigation unfolds and whether Sri Lanka’s Attorney General gets involved, she could face one to two years in remand prison—or a staggering 25-year sentence if convicted and transferred to maximum security.
For now, she remains in Negombo Prison, clinging to hope and insisting on her innocence.
As the legal process continues, the world watches to see what fate awaits the young Brit whose dream trip turned into a nightmare.