A British teenager who was reported missing while she was said to be holidaying in Thailand has been arrested 4,000 miles away.

Bella May Culley, 18, sparked a massive international search operation this week as she hadn’t been in touch with her family since Saturday. 

It has tonight been revealed the teen, from Billingham, County Durham, has actually been arrested on drug offences 4,000 miles away in Georgia. 

Culley was said to have been on holiday with a friend when she vanished.  

Her phone was said to have been turned off and she was last thought to be in the Pattaya area, which is close to Bangkok. 

But now, Cleveland Police has said that authorities in Georgia have confirmed that ‘an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested there on suspicion of drugs offences and that she remains in their custody.’

Footage shared by Georgian broadcasters appeared to show the 18-year-old girl being walked into the Central Criminal Police Department in Tbilisi while in handcuffs. 

Culley had allegedly being caught carrying 14kg of cannabis into the ex-Soviet nation after she was flagged during a scanner check at Tbilisi International Airport.

Bella May Culley, 18, was reported missing while she was said to have been on holiday in Thailand sparking a huge search to find her

Bella May Culley, 18, was reported missing while she was said to have been on holiday in Thailand sparking a huge search to find her

Culley had been regularly posting on social media and last shared this picture to Facebook on Monday, May 5

Culley had been regularly posting on social media and last shared this picture to Facebook on Monday, May 5

Culley was detained in Tbilisi accused of carrying 14kg of cannabis into ex-Soviet republic Georgia

Culley was detained in Tbilisi accused of carrying 14kg of cannabis into ex-Soviet republic Georgia

Culley was said to have been on holiday with a friend when she vanished

Culley was said to have been on holiday with a friend when she vanished

A local report claimed that during an inspection ’34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana were found in the passenger’s bag, as well as 20 packages of hashish’.

Culley was reportedly charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia.

The country’s Interior Ministry said: ‘The committed crime envisions up to 20 years – or life imprisonment.’

Local media reported that while she requested bail, the judge overseeing the case decided to imprison her as she posed a flight risk. 

Questions remain as to how exactly Culley ended up in Georgia – and what her steps were in the lead up. 

The teenager’s family said she first flew out to the Philippines just after Easter this year and flew to Thailand around May 3. Culley had been regularly posting on social media and last shared a picture to Facebook on Monday, May 5. 

Her distraught family earlier appealed for help to trace her whereabouts, with police in Thailand involved in the search. 

Culley, who has recently finished a course at Middlesbrough College with the aim of becoming a nurse, was in regular contact with her mother Lyanne Kennedy and was due to speak with her on Saturday. 

Her father Neil Culley flew out to Thailand with his sister Kerrie Culley to try to get answers. 

Culley's alleged offences have been covered by media in Georgia

Culley’s alleged offences have been covered by media in Georgia 

Questions remain as to how exactly Culley ended up in Georgia - and what her steps were in the lead up

Questions remain as to how exactly Culley ended up in Georgia – and what her steps were in the lead up

She could face 20 years jail or even life imprisonment, said the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs

She could face 20 years jail or even life imprisonment, said the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs

'I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice', said Culley's mother

‘I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice’, said Culley’s mother

Lyanne previously told Teesside Live: ‘She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks. 

‘She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about May 3.

‘The last message she sent was to me and that was on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to Facetime me later. 

‘That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now.

‘I’m just waiting on her dad who is now in Bangkok to get back with any more information. 

‘I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice.’

Lyanne also told the Sun that she had a bad feeling about Culley’s trip to Thailand, telling the newspaper: ‘I really didn’t want her to go to Thailand. I begged her to come home. I don’t trust some of the boys over there.

‘But she wanted to meet up with some friends she made over there on a previous trip. I don’t know who any of them are.’

After Culley’s father Neil arrived in Bankkok, he went straight to a police station, where officers told him to contact the country’s immigration bureau to figure out where she was last staying. 

Culley (pictured) said she had been travelling around Thailand with a friend

Culley (pictured) said she had been travelling around Thailand with a friend 

Culley's mother Lyanne posted this appeal on Facebook for help to trace her whereabouts

Culley’s mother Lyanne posted this appeal on Facebook for help to trace her whereabouts

 

 

The Interior Ministry said Culley was charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia

The Interior Ministry said Culley was charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia

She is accused of bringing 'a particularly large amount of narcotic drugs to Georgia'

She is accused of bringing ‘a particularly large amount of narcotic drugs to Georgia’ 

Lyanne said: ‘When she stopped answering messages I assumed it was because she was flying back to surprise me. But then nothing.’

The family previously got in touch with the airline, who revealed that Culley had made a request for a ticket but the payment never went through.

The distraught mother added: ‘We think she was last near Pattaya, and was supposed to fly back from Bangkok via Frankfurt according to the itinerary.’

‘But I never heard anything about picking her up.’

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk