UK Woman, 21, Arrested In Sri Lanka For Smuggling Deadly Drug Made From Human Bones

A 21-year-old former flight attendant from the UK is facing up to 25 years in a Sri Lankan prison after being caught allegedly smuggling over 100 pounds (approximately 45 kg) of a deadly new synthetic drug made of human bones. According to the BBC, Charlotte May Lee from south London was arrested earlier this month at Bandaranaike Airport in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. She was caught allegedly carrying suitcases full of "kush," a new drug originating in West Africa which kills an estimated dozen people a week in Sierra Leone alone.

According to the BBC, Ms Lee claimed that the drug stash, which has an estimated street value of $3.3 million (approximately Rs 28 crore), was planted in her suitcases without her knowledge. She is currently being held in a jail north of Colombo, where she has to sleep on a concrete floor. She has been allowed to contact her family. If found guilty, she could face up to 25 years in prison. 

A senior officer in the Sri Lanka Customs Narcotics Control Unit said the discovery, at Colombo's Bandaranaike Airport, was the largest kush seizure in the airport's history.

Ms Lee's lawyer, Sampath Perera, told the BBC that his team was visiting her daily in prison in the city of Negombo to provide support and monitor her well-being.

Mr Perera said that the 21-year-old had been working in Thailand when she was forced to leave because her 30-day visa was due to run out, so she decided to take a three-hour flight to Sri Lanka while she waited for the renewal of her Thai visa. 

"I had never seen them (the drugs) before. I didn't expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport. I thought it was going to be filled with all my stuff," Ms Lee told the Daily Mail. She also implied she knew who had "planted" the drugs in her suitcases, but wouldn't name them. "They must have planted it then. I know who did it," she said. 

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Notably, the drug, dubbed "kush", is made from a variety of toxic substances, with one of its main ingredients being ground-up human bone. The narcotic first emerged in the West African country around seven years ago. It induces a hypnotic high which can last several hours. The drug has become a widespread problem, and dealers have reportedly turned into grave robbers, breaking into thousands of tombs to steal skeletons to keep up with the demands.

Last year, Sierra Leone's president also declared a state of emergency over the abuse of kush. "Our country is currently faced with an existential threat due to the ravaging impact of drugs and substance abuse, particularly the devastating synthetic drug Kush," Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio said at the time. 

Mr Bio added that there had been "escalating fatalities" among the drug users. He also said that he has set up a task force to eradicate the drug. This means there will be centres in every district "adequately staffed by trained professionals to offer care and support to people with drug addiction," he said.