Police in Sri Lanka have apprehended a 21-year-old former flight attendant from South London after they allegedly discovered over 100 pounds of a highly dangerous synthetic narcotic known as “kush” in her luggage.
At the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, the woman, Charlotte May Lee, was halted for a routine baggage inspection. Officials have reported that the seized substance has an estimated street value of over $3 million, making it the largest seizure of its kind to be recorded in the national history.
The substance is notorious for its disturbing composition, which includes crushed human bones, and is believed to have originated in West Africa. It is associated with numerous fatalities in certain regions of Africa on a weekly basis, and authorities have issued warnings regarding its increasing prevalence in international trafficking routes.
According to reports, Lee, who had been residing in Thailand, traveled to Sri Lanka as a result of the expiration of his visa. She alleges that she was unaware that the narcotics were in her bag and that she is cognizant of the individual responsible, although she has not yet identified any potential suspects.
Lee, who is currently under arrest in a high-security penitentiary located to the north of Colombo, is subject to a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison under Sri Lankan law if convicted.
A broader trend of traffickers exploiting air routes from Southeast Asia is reflected in the case, according to officials. The authorities are currently conducting investigations into the broader trafficking network in order to identify additional individuals who are involved in the transportation of kush across borders.