A former Netflix reality show star was arrested for smuggling drugs valued at £150,000 on a flight from Thailand to the UK. Olga Bednarska, aged 27, was intercepted by customs officials at Manchester Airport with two hefty suitcases filled with 40kg of cannabis.
The social media influencer, known for her role in the Netflix series “Too Hot to Handle,” alleged that the luggage was handed to her by a friend named “Tex.”
Bednarska recounted that Tex had covered her travel expenses and tasked her with transporting designer clothes and watches from Phuket.
Following her arrest, she confessed to her involvement in the illegal evasion of a ban on importing a class B drug.
Since her October arrest, Bednarska has been detained and broke down in tears when she received a suspended sentence instead of jail time.
Judge John Potter noted that the former reality star had accumulated £16,000 in debt while trying to sustain her extravagant lifestyle.
The court was informed that Bednarska had lived extravagantly and turned to criminal activities to clear her debts.
She consented to travel to Thailand for a fully-funded trip to smuggle designer goods back to the UK, which would net her £18,000.
On October 10, she connected with an associate of Tex and checked into her complimentary hotel accommodation.
She received “spending money” from Tex, which she used to purchase two suitcases for transporting the smuggled items.
She was instructed to pack other items to disguise the true contents of the suitcases and was told her involvement would end there.
However, upon her return to the UK on October 20, Border Force agents stopped her, and she confirmed that she had packed the suitcases herself.
When asked to open the suitcases, she was unable to do so as she did not know the combination.
Bednarska then explained to the officials that she had been given the bags at the airport.
Concealed among her clothing were numerous vacuum-sealed bags containing cannabis.
The cannabis weighed 39.4kg and was estimated to be worth approximately £157,600.
Judge Potter stated, “You chose to trust someone you barely knew and were under their instruction, possibly for further financial gain.”
“You must realize the impact that drugs of this scale have on our communities when they are sold for profit. You have played a part in this by agreeing to participate.”
Bednarska received a 20-month prison sentence, which was suspended for two years.
Additionally, she was mandated to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities.
Originally from Poland, Bednarska now resides in Manchester and was a participant in the third season of “Too Hot to Handle.”
