A British woman arrested in Sri Lanka for attempting to smuggle 46 kilograms of Kush has reportedly been filmed without her knowledge or consent by a British tabloid Daily Mail, the Negombo Magistrate’s Court was informed.

Charlotte May Lee, a 21-year-old UK national, was taken into custody on 12 May at the Bandaranaike International Airport after arriving from Bangkok. Sri Lanka Customs’ Narcotics Control Unit discovered the large haul of Kush hidden in her luggage.

During a court hearing held yesterday before Negombo Additional Magistrate Darshika Premarathna, senior attorney Sampath Perera, appearing for Lee, revealed that a video released by the Daily Mail had been recorded inside the Negombo prison without proper authorisation. He said the footage, which has now been circulated globally, was filmed without Lee’s awareness or consent.

The lawyer argued that individuals posing as journalists had gained access to the prison under the guise of being friends of the suspect and had used concealed devices to record the young woman. He urged the court to take appropriate action, stating that the incident had caused serious injustice to his client.

Prison officials confirmed that visitors claiming to be associates of the suspect had been granted access following routine procedures. One of them had reportedly used a device disguised as a button to secretly record the interaction.

Taking the matter seriously, Magistrate Premarathna instructed prison authorities to strengthen their protocols and ordered that future visitors seeking to meet the suspect must obtain prior court approval.

Lee has been further remanded until 13 June as investigations continue.