A star of the Netflix reality show, Too Hot to Handle, Olga Bednarska, was apprehended at Manchester Airport for smuggling £150,000 worth of cannabis from Thailand. The 27 year old influencer had two large suitcases containing 40kg of the drug.
She claimed a friend named "Tex" gave her the bags and paid for her flights from Phuket under the guise of bringing back designer clothes and watches. Bednarska was arrested and later admitted to being involved in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug.
The former TV personality, who has been in custody since her arrest last month, broke down in tears when she received a suspended sentence instead of jail time. Judge John Potter revealed that Bednarska had accrued a debt of £16,000 while trying to maintain her extravagant lifestyle.
The court heard that she had agreed to an all-expenses-paid trip to Thailand to bring back designer items in exchange for £18,000 to help clear her debt. On October 10, Bednarska met with an "associate" of Tex and checked into her complimentary hotel room.
She was given "spending money" to purchase two suitcases for the smuggled goods and asked to provide items to "cover up" the designer clothes and watches. It was understood that Bednarska was not supposed to have any further involvement, reports the Mirror.
Upon her return to Manchester on October 20, Border Force officials stopped Isabella Bednarska, a former contestant on Netflix's "Too Hot to Handle". Although Bednarska packed her own luggage, she was unable to unlock the suitcases at their request, claiming she didn't have the code and that the bags had been given to her at the airport.
Hidden under her clothing, officials uncovered numerous vacuum-sealed cannabis packets. The drugs weighed in at 39.4kg with an estimated street value of £157,600. Judge Potter remarked: "You decided to place your trust in someone you hardly knew. You were acting under the direction of others, potentially for further profit."
He continued, "I am sure you can imagine the harm that wholesale value drugs have on our communities when they are sold for profit. You have directly contributed to this by agreeing to do what you did."
Despite the gravity of her offence, Bednarska received a suspended sentence of 20 months and is required to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity. Originally from Poland, she now resides in Manchester where she enjoys a substantial online following, sharing images of her opulent global adventures.
