British flight attendant accused of drug smuggling moved after deadly prison riots
Charlotte May Lee, a 22-year-old former TUI stewardess, has been transferred from Negombo prison to Kuliyappitiya after riots there killed 30 people.
British citizen Charlotte May Lee, 22, was arrested at Colombo airport after authorities said 46 kg of synthetic cannabis valued at £1.2 million was found in her luggage. Although she maintains she was unaware of the drugs, she has been held for nearly a year and a half without formal charges and could face a maximum 25-year sentence. Lee was originally incarcerated at Negombo prison, which was built for 650 inmates but housed about 2,400 when a violent clash between gangs resulted in 30 deaths.
Concern for her safety prompted a transfer to Kuliyappitiya prison, where she is reportedly coping better and studying the local language. She continues to express a strong desire to leave Sri Lanka, but legal proceedings remain pending.
Why it matters
The case highlights challenges of foreign detainees and prison overcrowding in Sri Lanka.
In this story
