Pregnant British Teen Freed After Family Pays $187,000 in Georgia Drug Case

Bella Culley, a 19-year-old pregnant British teenager, was arrested in Georgia in May for allegedly smuggling 12 kg of marijuana and 2 kg of hashish. She initially pleaded not guilty, claiming she was tortured into transporting the drugs and asserting she does not use drugs herself. Culley has been held in a women's prison near Tbilisi and faces up to 20 years in prison for drug smuggling. Her family has paid approximately $187,000 (500,000 Georgian Lari) in compensation to the Georgian authorities to secure a plea bargain that is expected to reduce her sentence to two years. A final verdict and sentencing hearing are scheduled for the following Monday, with her lawyers and family awaiting confirmation that the payment has been credited. Despite the charges, her mother reported that Bella, who is 25 weeks pregnant, looks strong and is coping with her situation.