British Teen Reported Missing in Pattaya Found Jailed in Georgia on Drug Charges
An 18-year-old British nursing student from Billingham, County Durham, who was reported missing in Thailand, has been discovered in a Georgian jail facing serious drug smuggling allegations. The case, which triggered an international search, has left her family in shock and raised urgent questions about how she ended up in such a predicament.
The teenager had been traveling solo on what her family described as a “world tour,” spending several weeks in the Philippines with a friend after Easter before arriving in Thailand around May 3. Her mother told Teesside Live that she maintained regular contact, sharing updates and photos, and was expected to FaceTime on Saturday, May 10. When the call never came and her phone appeared switched off, concern quickly escalated.
With no word from their daughter, the family alerted authorities, prompting Cleveland Police to issue a missing person appeal on May 13. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stepped in to assist, while Thai authorities treated the case as a “high priority.” Her father and aunt flew to Thailand to aid in the search, fearing the worst after days of silence. Initial leads suggested she might still be in Pattaya, but Thai immigration records later revealed she had left the country, deepening the mystery.
On the evening of May 13, Cleveland Police delivered a stunning update: The teenager had not gone missing but was instead detained in Tbilisi, Georgia, on suspicion of drug smuggling. According to The Northern Echo and Chronicle Live, Georgian authorities confirmed her arrest after customs officers at Tbilisi International Airport discovered illegal substances in her luggage.
A British nursing student who went missing in Thailand before being arrested in Georgia for allegedly smuggling 14kg of cannabis into the country has told a court she is pregnanthttps://t.co/4wxnI5z32z
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) May 14, 2025
Reports from Georgian media allege she was caught with 14 kilograms of cannabis, including 34 sealed packages of marijuana and 20 packages of hashish, following a tip-off that led to a scanner inspection. Footage broadcast by Georgian outlets showed the handcuffed teenager being escorted into the Central Criminal Police Department in Tbilisi.
The Daily Mail reported that she faces charges of illegally purchasing, storing, and importing a “particularly large amount” of narcotics—a crime punishable by up to 20 years or life imprisonment under Georgia’s strict anti-drug laws. A judge denied her bail, deeming her a flight risk, and she remains in custody awaiting trial.
While small amounts of marijuana are legal for personal use in Georgia, smuggling large quantities is a grave offense. The case has left her family reeling as they grapple with the sudden turn of events, shifting from a frantic search for a missing loved one to confronting the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence abroad.
Four More Foreign Nationals Arrested with 110 kg of Cannabis at Samui Airport
Authorities continue to investigate how the young traveler, last seen in Pattaya, ended up entangled in such serious charges thousands of miles away.
-Thailand News (TN)
