A 21-year-old British ex-flight attendant faces decades in a Sri Lankan prison after authorities discovered 101 pounds of a disturbing synthetic drug containing human bone fragments in her luggage.
At a Glance
- Charlotte May Lee was arrested at Colombo’s Bandaranaike Airport with 46kg of “kush,” a synthetic drug containing ground-up human bones
- The seized drugs are valued at approximately $3.3 million, marking the largest seizure of its kind in Sri Lankan history
- Lee claims innocence, stating the drugs were planted in her luggage and that she knows who is responsible
- If convicted, she faces up to 25 years in prison and is currently held in harsh conditions
- Sri Lankan authorities are increasingly monitoring passengers from Bangkok due to emerging drug trafficking routes
British Ex-Flight Attendant Caught With Macabre Drug
Charlotte May Lee, a 21-year-old former flight attendant from South London, was apprehended on May 12 at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo after authorities discovered 101 pounds (46kg) of synthetic “kush” in her luggage. The drug, which reportedly contains ground-up human bones, has an estimated street value of $3.3 million. Lee had been working in Thailand and traveled to Sri Lanka due to her expiring visa when customs officials, who had been profiling passengers from Bangkok, detained her in what has become the largest seizure of such drugs in Sri Lankan history.
Sri Lankan authorities have intensified screening of passengers arriving from Bangkok, which has emerged as a hub for drug traffickers. According to customs officials, Lee’s arrest was part of a broader initiative targeting this route. “Another passenger who had left Bangkok airport, almost at the same time, was arrested in another country. We arrested this lady [Lee] based on profiling,” explained a senior Sri Lanka customs officer. The disturbing discovery highlights growing concerns about new smuggling routes developing through Southeast Asia.
Claims of Innocence Amid Harsh Detention
Lee maintains her innocence, claiming she had no knowledge of the drugs in her luggage. “I had never seen them [the drugs] before. I didn’t expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport. I thought it was going to be filled with all my stuff,” Lee stated. She further alleged, “They must have planted it then. I know who did it,” though she has not publicly identified the person she believes responsible for placing the drugs in her bags.
“I had never seen them [the drugs] before. I didn’t expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport. I thought it was going to be filled with all my stuff.”, said Charlotte Lee.
The young Briton now faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking charges. Current reports indicate she is being held in a prison north of Colombo under difficult conditions, sleeping on a concrete floor. Her case adds to a concerning pattern of drug smuggling incidents involving Western nationals, including another recent case where British woman Bella Culley was arrested in Georgia for smuggling hashish and marijuana, further highlighting the troubling trend of drug trafficking through Bangkok.
The Disturbing Truth Behind “Kush”
The synthetic drug “kush” has gained notoriety, particularly in West Africa where it has caused significant public health concerns. Sierra Leone’s president has declared a state of emergency due to the drug’s devastating impact, describing it as a “death trap” and an “existential crisis.” Unlike traditional cannabis products that share the same name, this synthetic version reportedly contains ground-up human bones and other harmful chemicals, leading to grave robbing in some African nations to source materials.
The drug’s effects are particularly dangerous, with users known to fall asleep while walking and suffer other severe health consequences. Popular primarily among young men, kush represents a growing international drug threat that crosses borders and continents. The massive quantity seized from Lee’s luggage suggests a sophisticated trafficking operation rather than personal use, raising questions about who might be behind such a large-scale smuggling attempt and how far the distribution network extends.
