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Scottish Sun
02-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Brit gang ‘who threatened to behead Bella Culley' told her ‘we know where your family are'…as two-word SOS text revealed
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRITISH gang threatened to behead drug mule suspect Bella Culley and her family in a chilling warning to the pregnant 18-year-old. Bella was shown a horrifying video of an execution by the evil traffickers which forced the teen to send her loved ones a two-word SOS text, her lawyer has claimed. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Bella Culley seen in court on Tuesday as her devastated family watched on Credit: Supplied 8 The Brit told a court she was made to watch a beheading video by a Brit gang who recruited her to smuggle drugs Credit: Facebook 8 Bella, seen in court earlier this year, has now been jailed for over six weeks Credit: East2West The Brit told her legal team that she fell into the clutches of a British-led gang of drug runners while on holiday in Thailand. She denies knowingly importing drugs worth £200,000 into the former Soviet state of Georgia as she continues to claim she was in fear of life when she flew from Bangkok in May. Trainee nurse Bella - who got pregnant on her Far East trip - claimed the gang also threatened to harm her parents and 16-year-old brother after claiming they knew where they lived. In a desperate two word plea she texted her family, 'HELP ME', after being 'branded' on the arm with an iron as a warning. Bella from Billingham, County Durham, says a bag containing cannabis was checked in under her name by a gang member. Her frantic family launched a missing person hunt in Thailand after she vanished on holiday but she turned up under arrest 4,000 miles away. Her Georgian lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia claimed the gang terrorised the teenager into becoming a mule. She felt queasy and almost fainted but they still forced her to watch it Malkhaz Salakaia He told The Sun: 'They told her: 'We know the addresses of your parents, we know where your 16 year old brother is.' 'They made her watch a video of a man being decapitated and told her: 'If you don't do as you are told, this is what is going to happen to you and your family.' 'She felt queasy and almost fainted but they still forced her to watch it." Bella - who wept in court on Monday as she appeared with her baby bump visible for the first time - has stressed the British father of her child was not a gang member. Brit 'drug smuggler' Bella Culley 'starving' in ex-Soviet hell prison - as she reveals pregnancy craving to celeb lawyer And she went on to describe the horror of her 'branding' to Mr Salakaia. He told The Sun: 'On the inside of her right arm there is a mark from this coercion. 'She was, so to say, branded - a hot iron was pressed on her arm. 'She was forced to do this - there was both psychological and physical pressure, the trace of which is still visible. 'As to her connection with this group, she knew several of them - they are British. 'At first she knew one, and then through him met the others. However, we have grounds to assume that this group also had local accomplices, including in Thailand.' Mr Salakaia said by the time Bella managed to send a desperate text to her family, it was too late for them to stop her disastrous journey to Georgia. 8 Bella Culley went on holiday to Thailand and wound up in handcuffs in Eastern Europe Credit: Facebook 8 Cannabis was found wrapped in air-tight bags in Bella's luggage, police said Credit: East2West 8 Mr Salakaia said: 'Bella sent an SMS to her family asking for help, saying: HELP ME, but by the time the family reacted it was too late 'The instruction, or rather threat, she was given consisted of the following: 'You will take this luggage and carry it from point A to point B, to this or that country, or we will kill you. 'There is no talk of any potential reward or deal — Bella was simply forced to do this. 'The speculation that one of them is the father of Bella's child does not correspond to the truth - I categorically deny this. There is no connection. 'I cannot say whether the father of the child knows about Bella's situation.' Mr Salakaia told how Bella tried in vain to raise the alarm - but discovered to her horror that Thai cops she tried to tip off were linked to the gang. He said: 'There was a very alarming episode while she was still in Bangkok. Bella seized a moment to go to some policemen - there were three of them, standing on the street. 'She told them: 'I have a problem, this is happening, there is pressure on me, help me.' 'They spoke with her for 20 minutes and then returned her exactly to the same people she had run away from. 'This allows the simplest conclusion - that this group had things arranged with the local police.' She was forced to do this - there was both psychological and physical pressure, the trace of which is still visible Malkhaz Salakaia Mr Salakaia said Bella did not see the suitcase containing 31lb of cannabis in vacuum-sealed bags until a customs officer in Georgian capital Tbilisi showed it to her. The teenager had no idea where Tbilisi was and no idea why she was there, he said. Bella, in a pink t-shirt with her hair in a bun, burst into tears at a court appearance on Monday where she was supported by her father Niel (ckd), 39, aunt Kerrie and grandad William Culley. Mr Salakaia said Bella - who was refused bail on Monday - will deny drug trafficking charges which carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in jail. Bella - who says she is happy with conditions at tough No5 Women's Penitentiary on the outskirts of Tbilisi - is next due in court on July 10. 8 Bella in court last month Credit: East2West
The Irish Sun
02-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Brit gang ‘who threatened to behead Bella Culley' told her ‘we know where your family are'…as two-word SOS text revealed
A BRITISH gang threatened to behead drug mule suspect Bella Culley and her family in a chilling warning to the pregnant 18-year-old. 8 Bella Culley seen in court on Tuesday as her devastated family watched on Credit: Supplied 8 The Brit told a court she was made to watch a beheading video by a Brit gang who recruited her to smuggle drugs Credit: Facebook 8 Bella, seen in court earlier this year, has now been jailed for over six weeks Credit: East2West The Brit told her legal team that she fell into the clutches of a British-led gang of drug runners while on holiday in Thailand. She denies knowingly Georgia as she continues to claim she was in fear of life when she flew from Bangkok in May. Trainee nurse Bella - who got pregnant on her Far East trip - claimed the gang also threatened to harm her parents and 16-year-old brother after claiming they knew where they lived. In a desperate two word plea she texted her family, 'HELP ME', after being read more in bella Culley Bella from Billingham, County Durham, says a bag containing cannabis was checked in under her name by a gang member. Her frantic family launched a missing person hunt in Thailand after she vanished on holiday but she turned up under arrest 4,000 miles away. Her Georgian lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia claimed the gang terrorised the teenager into becoming a mule. She felt queasy and almost fainted but they still forced her to watch it Malkhaz Salakaia Bella's lawyer He told The Sun: 'They told her: 'We know the addresses of your parents, we know where your 16 year old brother is.' Most read in The Sun 'They made her watch a video of a man being decapitated and told her: 'If you don't do as you are told, this is what is going to happen to you and your family.' 'She felt queasy and almost fainted but they still forced her to watch it." Bella - who wept in court on Monday as she appeared with her baby bump visible for the first time - has stressed the British father of her child was not a gang member. Brit 'drug smuggler' Bella Culley 'starving' in ex-Soviet hell prison - as she reveals pregnancy craving to celeb lawyer And she went on to describe the horror of her 'branding' to Mr Salakaia. He told The Sun: 'On the inside of her right arm there is a mark from this coercion. 'She was, so to say, branded - a hot iron was pressed on her arm. 'She was forced to do this - there was both psychological and physical pressure, the trace of which is still visible. 'As to her connection with this group, she knew several of them - they are British. 'At first she knew one, and then through him met the others. However, we have grounds to assume that this group also had local accomplices, including in Thailand.' Mr Salakaia said by the time Bella managed to send a desperate text to her family, it was too late for them to stop her disastrous journey to Georgia. 8 Bella Culley went on holiday to Thailand and wound up in handcuffs in Eastern Europe Credit: Facebook 8 Cannabis was found wrapped in air-tight bags in Bella's luggage, police said Credit: East2West 8 Mr Salakaia said: 'Bella sent an SMS to her family asking for help, saying: HELP ME, but by the time the family reacted it was too late 'The instruction, or rather threat, she was given consisted of the following: 'You will take this luggage and carry it from point A to point B, to this or that country, or we will kill you. 'There is no talk of any potential reward or deal — Bella was simply forced to do this. 'The speculation that one of them is the father of Bella's child does not correspond to the truth - I categorically deny this. There is no connection. 'I cannot say whether the father of the child knows about Bella's situation.' Mr Salakaia told how Bella tried in vain to raise the alarm - but discovered to her horror that Thai cops she tried to tip off were linked to the gang. He said: 'There was a very alarming episode while she was still in Bangkok. Bella seized a moment to go to some policemen - there were three of them, standing on the street. 'She told them: 'I have a problem, this is happening, there is pressure on me, help me.' 'They spoke with her for 20 minutes and then returned her exactly to the same people she had run away from. 'This allows the simplest conclusion - that this group had things arranged with the local police.' She was forced to do this - there was both psychological and physical pressure, the trace of which is still visible Malkhaz Salakaia Bella's lawyer Mr Salakaia said Bella did not see the suitcase containing 31lb of cannabis in vacuum-sealed bags until a customs officer in Georgian capital Tbilisi showed it to her. The teenager had no idea where Tbilisi was and no idea why she was there, he said. Bella, in a pink t-shirt with her hair in a bun, burst into tears at a court appearance on Monday where she was supported by her father Niel (ckd), 39, aunt Kerrie and grandad William Culley. Mr Salakaia said Bella - who was refused bail on Monday - will deny drug trafficking charges which carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in jail. Bella - who says she is happy with conditions at tough No5 Women's Penitentiary on the outskirts of Tbilisi - is next due in court on July 10. 8 Bella in court last month Credit: East2West 8 Bella has said she never touched the drugs found in her suitcase Credit: NCJ Media
Scottish Sun
02-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Brit thugs forced ‘drug mule' Bella May Culley to watch man be beheaded…and told her ‘we'll do that to you', lawyer says
BELLA'S TERROR Brit thugs forced 'drug mule' Bella May Culley to watch man be beheaded…and told her 'we'll do that to you', lawyer says BRITISH drug mule suspect Bella Culley was shown a horrifying video of a beheading by evil drug traffickers - and warned she faced the same fate, her lawyer claimed yesterday. Backpacker Bella, 18, told her legal team that she fell into the clutches of a British-led gang of drug runners while on holiday in Thailand. Advertisement 7 Bella Culley went on holiday to Thailand and wound up in handcuffs in Eastern Europe Credit: Facebook 7 Bella was seen in court this week as her devastated family watched on Credit: Supplied 7 Cannabis was found wrapped in air-tight bags in Bella's luggage, police said Credit: East2West And she will deny knowingly importing drugs worth £200,000 into the former Soviet state of Georgia claiming she was in fear of life when she was put on the flight from Bangkok in May. Trainee nurse Bella - who got pregnant on her Far East trip - claimed the gang also threatened to harm her parents and 16-year-old brother claiming they knew where they lived. And she texted a desperate two word plea 'HELP ME' to her family after being 'branded' on the arm with an iron as a warning. Bella from Billingham, County Durham, claimed she never saw a bag containing £200,000-worth of cannabis which was checked in under her name by a gang member. Advertisement Her frantic family launched a missing person hunt in Thailand after she vanished on holiday but she turned up under arrest 4,000 miles away in the former Soviet state. Her Georgian lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia claimed the gang terrorised the teenager into becoming a mule. He told The Sun: 'They told her: 'We know the addresses of your parents, we know where your 16-year-old brother is.' 'They made her watch a video of a man being decapitated and told her: 'If you don't do as you are told, this is what is going to happen to you and your family.' Advertisement 'She felt queasy and almost fainted but they still forced her to watch it" Bella - who wept in court on Monday as she appeared with her baby bump visible for the first time - has stressed the British father of her child was not a gang member Brit 'drug smuggler' Bella Culley 'starving' in ex-Soviet hell prison - as she reveals pregnancy craving to celeb lawyer And she went on to describe the horror of her 'branding' to Mr Salakaia. He told The Sun: 'On the inside of her right arm there is a mark from this coercion. Advertisement 'She was, so to say, branded - a hot iron was pressed on her arm. 'She was forced to do this - there was both psychological and physical pressure, the trace of which is still visible. 'As to her connection with this group, she knew several of them - they are British. 'At first she knew one, and then through him met the others. However, we have grounds to assume that this group also had local accomplices, including in Thailand.' Advertisement Mr Salakaia said by the time Bella managed to send a desperate text to her family, it was too late for them to stop her disastrous journey to Georgia. Mr Salakaia said: 'Bella sent an SMS to her family asking for help, saying: HELP ME, but by the time the family reacted it was too late. 7 Bella has now been locked up for six weeks in Georgia Credit: East2West 7 Bella has said she never touched the drugs found in her suitcase Credit: Facebook Advertisement 7 'The instruction, or rather threat, she was given consisted of the following: 'You will take this luggage and carry it from point A to point B, to this or that country, or we will kill you. 'There is no talk of any potential reward or deal — Bella was simply forced to do this. 'The speculation that one of them is the father of Bella's child does not correspond to the truth - I categorically deny this. There is no connection. Advertisement 'I cannot say whether the father of the child knows about Bella's situation.' Mr Salakaia told how Bella tried in vain to raise the alarm - but discovered to her horror that Thai cops she tried to tip off were linked to the gang. He said: 'There was a very alarming episode while she was still in Bangkok. Bella seized a moment to go to some policemen - there were three of them, standing on the street. 'She told them: 'I have a problem, this is happening, there is pressure on me, help me.' Advertisement 'They spoke with her for 20 minutes and then returned her exactly to the same people she had run away from. 'This allows the simplest conclusion - that this group had things arranged with the local police.' Mr Salakaia said Bella did not see the suitcase containing 31lb of cannabis in vacuum-sealed bags until a customs officer in Georgian capital Tbilisi showed it to her. 7 Advertisement The teenager had no idea where Tbilisi was and no idea why she was there, he said. Mr Salakaia told The Sun: 'They marked this luggage, approached Bella and asked her: 'Is this your luggage?' 'She said: 'This was sent, it is not mine, I do not know what this is, but I was told I would be met, but who, I don't know.' 'When she was leaving they told her that the person who should meet her would have her photo and her mission would be complete. Advertisement 'It would have been better for Bella to come out and then be detained - after all, she was already under surveillance anyway. 'They would have seen who was to meet her. In this case the operation stopped with Bella - the full stop was put prematurely. 'The luggage was not checked in by her - her luggage was checked in by someone else. The luggage was simply registered to her.' Bella, in a pink t-shirt with her hair in a bun, burst into tears at a court appearance on Monday where she was supported by her father Niel, 39, aunt Kerrie and grandad William Culley. Advertisement Mr Salakaia said Bella - who was refused bail on Monday - will deny drug trafficking charges which carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in jail. The high profile lawyer - a former investigator who worked on the assassination attempts on former Georgian President Shevardnadze - said he would push for a fine and deportation. Bella - who says she is happy with conditions at tough No5 Women's Penitentiary on the outskirts of Tbilisi - is next due in court on July 10.
Time Business News
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Security Company Colombia
Colombia rewards ambition with booming cities and rugged landscapes. Yet fast-growing markets also attract heightened threat vectors. Black Mountain Solutions (a top security company Colombia ) strategically places proven specialists between visitors and those hazards. The British-led team—now headquartered in Bogotá—fuses real-time intelligence, armoured mobility, and elite close protection. Consequently, corporate boards fulfil duty-of-care mandates while travellers pursue goals without disruption. Moreover, local knowledge trims bureaucracy at airports and checkpoints. Every mission begins with an in-depth risk profile, then rapidly scales into a tailored protection package. Therefore, executives, journalists, and humanitarian teams move across Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali with confidence. Black Mountain turns complex terrain into a controlled opportunity. Furthermore, consistent after-action reviews feed continuous improvement, ensuring each journey tomorrow runs safer than today. Clients choose efficiency over uncertainty, and performance over promises. Always. Urban vibrancy sits beside sudden unrest in Colombia's principal cities. Therefore, Black Mountain's intelligence cell reviews police bulletins, protest rumours, and weather disruptions every dawn. Analysts plot incidents on live GIS dashboards, spotting clusters before they swell. Moreover, field teams verify ground truth through bilingual fixers across barrios. Updated threat matrices then guide route selection, convoy spacing, and hotel choice. Because forecasts refresh hourly, travellers rarely encounter friction on the street. Additionally, secure-communications apps alert passengers when analysts adjust timing. This disciplined cycle turns reactive dodging into proactive avoidance. Ultimately, security services in Colombia function as a living shield, not a static plan, preserving schedules without sacrificing safety. Consistent performance enhances corporate resilience and nurtures stakeholder confidence every single travel cycle. Compliance alone never delivers peace of mind. Instead, security company Colombia Black Mountain aligns operations with ISO 18788 and British Standard 7858 vetting. Moreover, managers conduct quarterly firearms drills and annual trauma-care recertification. These measurable benchmarks raise the bar for any security company in Colombia. Additionally, recruitment screens include psychological resilience tests, language fluency, and urban navigation assessments. Consequently, only five per cent of applicants advance to client operations. Furthermore, mechanics service armoured fleets every 2,000 kilometres, replacing mission-critical parts before failure. Transparent audit trails, therefore, demonstrate diligence rather than marketing promises. Ultimately, organisations partner with a culture of proven excellence, not a brochure of empty claims. Moreover, continuous after-action reviews feed innovation, ensuring tomorrow's journeys outperform today's successes again. Bogotá traffic regularly ranks among the world's worst; Medellín's mountain roads add altitude risk. Therefore, VIP transportation in Colombia demands more than skilled driving. Black Mountain schedules departures outside peak choke points, then tracks Waze, police scanners, and live CCTV feeds. Moreover, armoured Toyota Land Cruisers carry run-flat tyres and blast-resistant fuel tanks, shielding passengers when gridlock stalls escape routes. Additionally, convoy leaders hold alternate lane options and safe-haven lists for every ten-kilometre segment. Because response planning sits upfront, journeys feel seamless, not stressful. Furthermore, bilingual chauffeurs manage tolls, checkpoints, and hotel forecourts with discreet efficiency. Consequently, executives arrive on time, composed, and ready to perform. Consistent punctuality reinforces brand credibility and nurtures stakeholder confidence across demanding itineraries worldwide everywhere consistently. Technology supports safety; nonetheless, trained people anchor success. Executive protection Colombia teams from Black Mountain include ex-British military, Colombian special forces, and tactical medics. Moreover, daily intelligence briefings refine their situational awareness before wheels move. Agents practice diamond formations on foot and four-box formations inside vehicles, switching seamlessly when terrain shifts. Additionally, covert counter-surveillance identifies hostile watchers outside conference venues. Because communication remains concise and coded, adversaries gain no exploitable data. Furthermore, agents carry trauma kits, satellite phones, and encrypted tablets, linking field activity to headquarters instantly. Therefore, principals experience unobtrusive yet decisive coverage. A security company in Colombia leverages these human assets to transform potential chaos into calm productivity. Such disciplined precision safeguards reputations, finances, and strategic negotiations alike everywhere. Risk rarely remains stationary; therefore, journey control must adapt. Black Mountain integrates satellite trackers, geofencing alerts, and bilingual dispatchers into one command centre. Moreover, operators monitor client convoys, media teams, and supply trucks on a single interface, spotting anomalies within seconds. Additionally, incident logs feed machine-learning models that predict hotspot evolution. Because responses rely on data, decisions remain rapid and precise. Furthermore, standby quick-reaction units deploy from Bogotá, Cartagena, and Cali hangars, shortening arrival times. Security services in Colombia gain extra depth when medical evacuation helicopters align under the same roof. Ultimately, a unified platform ensures seamless coordination across air, road, and foot patrol elements. Consequently, mission momentum never falters, and critical timelines remain firmly on track with everyday operations. Different missions demand different profiles. VIP transportation in Colombia, therefore, offers a modular fleet. Black Mountain fields discreet sedans for embassy corridors, armoured Chevrolet Suburbans for mining corridors, and agile motorcycles for last-mile escorts. Moreover, planners select vehicles after cross-checking threat indices, terrain type, and client brand visibility preferences. Additionally, route tactics evolve mid-journey. Convoy leaders may merge into bus lanes, switch to elevated arterials, or stage inside secure petrol stations when unexpected bottlenecks arise. Because tactics stay flexible, audiences lose track, and adversaries lack patterns to exploit. Furthermore, drivers rotate shifts every four hours, preserving sharp reflexes. Ultimately, seamless mobility amplifies productivity and minimises exposure. Consequently, the security company Colombia sets a new travel benchmark across South American corridors daily. Medical readiness interlocks directly with personal security. Hence, Black Mountain embeds trauma-qualified medics within executive protection Colombia teams. Moreover, helicopters remain on standby at Medellín's Enrique Olaya Airfield, slicing rural evacuation times. Additionally, digital health records travel on encrypted tablets, ensuring paramedics access vitals instantly. Because the equipment features portable monitors, oxygen, and haemostatic agents, lifesaving interventions begin within the golden minutes. Furthermore, crisis-management directors rehearse kidnap, earthquake, and cyber-extortion scenarios quarterly, refining response playbooks. Continuous drills create muscle memory, so teams act, not hesitate, when chaos erupts. Ultimately, this security company in Colombia offers an integrated safety net that spans prevention, protection, and swift medical recovery. Therefore, organisations safeguard people, assets, and reputations under one cohesive operational umbrella without compromise. Opportunity flourishes in Colombia when preparation equals ambition. Black Mountain Solutions, as a security company in Colombia, converts that equation into a daily reality. Moreover, integrated intelligence, elite personnel, and versatile vehicles combine to deflect risks before they mature. Therefore, executives sign deals, filmmakers capture stories, and NGOs deliver aid on schedule. Additionally, transparent audits satisfy shareholders and insurers alike, reinforcing corporate resilience. Because strategies evolve continuously, protective measures never lag behind emerging threats. Furthermore, multilingual teams nurture positive encounters with authorities, neighbours, and local partners, building goodwill along each route. Consequently, journeys feel effortless while dangers stay distant. Selecting Black Mountain Solutions means choosing progress over paralysis and momentum over hesitation. Secure roads, open boardrooms, and resilient paths stretch ahead, ready for those who move with confidence toward sustainable success in every venture. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Daily Record
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
RAF Typhoons scrambled six times in just one week to face Russian bombers
Typhoons are part of a British-led NATO enhanced air policing mission over the Baltic region The RAF has been forced to scramble fighter jets over Poland six times in a single week to ward off 15 Russian military aircraft encroaching near NATO airspace. The Typhoon FGR4 aircraft, stationed at the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork, Poland, carried out these missions from 7th to 12th June. These six incidents represent the most intense period for the air force since being deployed in the region on 1st April as part of Operation Chessman, highlighting an increase in Russian intelligence-gathering operations in the Baltics. In line with the UK's commitment to NATO's defence, it has relocated both aircraft and personnel to the enhanced air policing mission, including the fourth-generation jet. The first aerial confrontation occurred on 7th June when RAF pilots were dispatched to identify an aircraft leaving the Kaliningrad region, later confirmed to be an Antonov An-30, a Soviet-era reconnaissance craft used for terrain mapping via aerial photography, reports the Express. The two Typhoons that were subsequently deployed to intercept were re-tasked to shadow another surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft, the Ilyushin Il-20M COOT A. The fourth-generation UK fighter jets are equipped with advanced radar, sensor fusion capabilities, and a broad suite of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions to aid with the interceptions. However, the following day, the RAF were once again scrambled to intercept two unknown contacts, later identified as supersonic, all-weather tactical Su-24 bombers. During this mission, the UK jets split up as one of the Su-24s conducted low-altitude flybys of a US Navy cargo ship operating in international waters in a clear act of provocation. In the following days, more reconnaissance planes were repelled, exhibiting similar intelligence-gathering patterns near NATO airspace. Meanwhile, a Tupolev Tu-142 BEAR F, an aircraft designed for anti-submarine warfare, was spotted being escorted by two Su-27 FLANKER B fighter jets. Russia continues to antagonise NATO personnel with these reconnaissance missions and close flybys, with the defensive alliance preparing for its Atlantic Trident 25 air exercise, hosted by Finland. The multinational drill will run from today (Monday) until June 27 and will be performed for the first time outside of either the United States, United Kingdom or France. In tandem with the exercise series, the US has deployed dozens of refuelling aircraft across the North Atlantic, towards Europe, with the volume of aircraft unlikely to correlate with the Atlantic Trident. The aircraft heading for Europe include KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus tankers. This mass migration could be related to ongoing bombing campaigns carried out by both Israel and Iran who continue to heighten tensions in the Middle East.
