These are two young girls... I feel they are victims

MUM CAUGHT SMUGGLING DRUGS SPEAKS OUT AFTER PAIR ARRESTED ABROAD

- By SHANNON MILLER

A GLAMOROUS mum caught smuggling drugs from New York alongside her friend has spoken out after the arrests abroad of Bella May Culley and Charlotte May Lee.

Levi-April Whalley, 31, and Sophie Bannister, 30, from Blackburn, informed Border Force officials that they had been on a three-day shopping trip in New York City when they were intercepted at Birmingham International Airport in 2023.

However, upon inspection of their bags, over 35kg of cannabis - with a street value exceeding £160,000 - was uncovered. When 70 heat-sealed packages were discovered concealed in the luggage, Whalley claimed the parcels contained watches.

But the truth came to light, as text messages exposed that friends were involved in a scheme to import drugs into the UK. Both women wept when they received 18-month suspended sentences at Preston Crown Court last month.

Bannister, who now lives in Withington, Manchester, must complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work and Whalley, who still resides in Blackburn, must carry out 10 days of rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Now, Levi has voiced her thoughts on the recent cases of British women being accused of drug smuggling abroad, offering counsel for two young women, Teessider Bella May and London-born Charlotte May are both awaiting their fate behind bars in foreign prisons, reports the Mirror. Both women refute the charges levelled against them.