Charlotte May Lee, 21, from London, faces decades in a Sri Lankan prison after being caught with 46kg of synthetic cannabis. She’s currently held in the overcrowded Negombo Prison.
This is the notorious Sri Lankan prison dubbed a “hellhole” where Charlotte May Lee, a 21-year-old British woman, is now being held after being accused of smuggling £1.2 million worth of synthetic cannabis into the country.
Lee, from Coulsdon, south London, was arrested last week at Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo after arriving from Bangkok. Authorities allege she was caught carrying 46kg of Kush, a potent synthetic version of cannabis, in two suitcases.
The former TUI air stewardess is currently locked up in Negombo Prison, one of Sri Lanka’s most overcrowded and grim detention facilities. If convicted, she could be transferred to Welikada Prison in Colombo — a high-security prison infamous for its harsh conditions — and faces a potential sentence of 20 to 25 years.
Conditions in Negombo Prison: “Far Less Than Human”
Negombo Prison has a deeply troubling reputation, particularly for female inmates. Cells meant for 75 people have reportedly been crammed with up to 150 women. Conditions are so poor that rats and maggots have been found in the food, and open drains run along the perimeter of overcrowded cells.
A former inmate described it plainly in an interview with Al Jazeera:
“We are treated as far less than human. About 150 of us sleep in a cell designed for 75 people… There are no attempts at rehabilitation. Women here just waste away.”
The same facility has seen deadly riots in the past — 27 people were killed in one in 2012, and at least 8 died during another outbreak of violence in 2020.
The Case Against Lee
Charlotte reportedly left the UK two weeks ago, telling friends she was heading to Thailand to meet a man. Friends now say they’re terrified for her safety and future, given the serious charges and the brutal prison environment.
One family friend told The Sun on Sunday:
“We’re frantically worried. She was arrested then seemingly abandoned and is rotting in a jail cell. She’s very scared.”
Another added:
“She’s been told if convicted, because of the size of the drugs haul, she’s looking at between 20 and 25 years in jail.”
Sri Lanka is currently battling a severe prison overcrowding crisis, with its own officials admitting there are “too many jailbirds, not enough jail guards.”
Official Response
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed involvement in Lee’s case, stating:
“We are supporting a British woman who has been arrested in Sri Lanka and are in contact with her family and the local authorities.”
As the case unfolds, concern continues to grow over Lee’s well-being as she faces a legal battle in a country with a deeply troubled prison system and harsh penalties for drug trafficking.
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