Olga Bednarska, who participated in the highly popular Netflix reality show “Too Hot to Handle” season 3, was arrested at Manchester Airport in the United Kingdom on November 20. During the arrest, it was discovered that she was carrying nearly 40 kilograms of marijuana hidden in two large suitcases, vacuum-sealed underneath clothing.
According to The Manchester Evening News, the 27-year-old Bednarska claimed in court that the luggage was given to her by a friend named “Tex”, who paid for her flight and asked her to bring back designer clothing and watches from Phuket, Thailand.
Reportedly, Bednarska met a “contact” of Tex on October 10, and when she returned to the UK on October 20, she was intercepted by Border Officials at Manchester Airport. Upon inspection of her luggage, vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana were found beneath the clothes, with a total weight of 39.4 kilograms valued at around £157,600.
The court learned that Bednarska, originally from Poland but residing in Manchester, had been living beyond her means and had accumulated £16,000 in debt. In an attempt to repay her debts, she accepted a fully sponsored trip to Thailand. Her hotel expenses, luggage, pocket money in Thailand, as well as items used to disguise the smuggling activity, were all paid for and provided by the sponsor in exchange for her bringing back “branded goods”, with a reward of £18,000.
Bednarska pleaded guilty in court and became emotional during the proceedings. Ultimately, the judge sentenced her to 20 months in prison but considering her lack of prior convictions and cooperation in the investigation, she was granted a two-year suspended sentence with the condition to complete a 15-day rehabilitation program.
The judge noted that Bednarska fell into the criminal activity due to long-standing financial difficulties and naively trusting strangers. However, the judge sternly emphasized that the harm caused by drugs to society is immense and that her actions contributed to this societal issue. It was deemed necessary for her to bear legal responsibility for her actions.