Banged Up Abroad

Banged Up Abroad
Also known as	See International airings below
Format	Documentary / Docudrama
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	8
Production
Running time	60 minutes (with commercials)
Production company(s)	Raw Television
Broadcast
Original channel	Channel 5
Picture format	16:9
Original run	March 2006 – present

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Banged Up Abroad (rebadged as Locked Up Abroad for the National Geographic Channel, Preso en el extranjero in Latin America and Jailed Abroad in India) is a British documentary/docudrama television series created by Bart Layton that was produced for Channel Five and that premiered in March 2006. Banged Up Abroad features stories of people who have been arrested while travelling abroad, usually for trying to smuggle illegal drugs out of a country and have received lengthy prison sentences as a result. A second series was broadcast in 2007, a third series during August and September 2008, and a fourth in October 2008.

[edit] Episode format

The episodes typically follow the same format or structure. An episode contains a mix of original interview footage and reconstructed footage of their journey. The convicted or captured are shown talking about their experiences, over dramatic reenactments of their respective experiences. The episodes focus on the events leading up to the arrest or time in captivity.

In one case, at the end of the episode, the convicted are shown sitting with handcuffs on, where they are still in jail.^[1] In most cases the convicted or captured have returned home from where they are telling their story. In other cases the convicted or captured is shown revisiting the country of the incident.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Series 1 (2006)

Episode 1: Costa Rica/Mexico (Scott and Lucy's Story): Scott Campbell and Lucy Baker are British travellers arrested in Mexico.

Episode 2: Thailand (The Sandra Gregory Story): Sandra Gregory is arrested in Thailand trying to smuggle heroin into Japan.

Episode 3: Sydney (Mark's Story): Mark is arrested in Sydney after attempting to smuggle cocaine from the U.S. to Australia.

Episode 4: Venezuela/Margarita Island (Denis and Donald's Story): Donald MacNeil, a yachtsman, is arrested after being pressured to collect an enormous, 30-million-pound shipment of cocaine.

[edit] Series 2 (2007)

Episode 1: Venezuela (James and Paul's Story): Jim Miles and Paul Loseby, two British teenagers, are arrested in Venezuela for trying to smuggle drugs.

Episode 2: Peru (Krista and Jennifer's Story/Peruvian Prison Nightmare): Krista Barnes and Jennifer Davis are two American women arrested for trying to smuggle cocaine out of Peru.

Episode 3: Nepal (Piers' Story): Piers Hernu, a British traveller, is arrested trying to smuggle gold in from Hong Kong to Nepal.

Episode 4: Colombia (Glen's story): Glen Heggstad, an American adventurer, is kidnapped by the Colombian National Liberation Army.

[edit] Series 3 (2008)

Episode 1: Kuwait (Scott's Story): Scott White is arrested in Kuwait for selling hashish, then escapes from jail during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Episode 2: Peru 2/Lima: Russell Thoresen, an American traveller, is arrested in Peru for trying to smuggle cocaine.

Episode 3: Bangladesh: Lia McCord, an American teenager, is arrested in Bangladesh for trying to smuggle heroin.

Episode 4: Pakistan: Amardeep Bassey, a British journalist on the way to Afghanistan for an assignment, is arrested in Pakistan and accused of being a spy.

[edit] Series 4 (2008)

Episode 1: Peru 3/Cuzco: Sarah Jackson convinces her friend Simon to go to Peru with her in order to serve as her unwitting drug-smuggling accomplice. Jackson is currently serving a seven year sentence.^[2]

Episode 2: Taiwan: Taiwan's most-wanted criminal breaks into the house of McGill Alexander, a South African army colonel, and takes him and his family hostage.

Episode 3: Ecuador: An American, Daniel Van De Zendrewe, is arrested trying to smuggle cocaine from Ecuador to Europe.

Episode 4: South Korea: Cullen Thomas, working with his girlfriend "Rocket", is arrested trying to smuggle hashish from the Philippines to South Korea.

[edit] "Kidnapped Abroad" (2008)

In 2008, five additional episodes were produced, each one about a kidnapping, under the alternate title "Kidnapped Abroad".

Chechnya/Nightmare in Chechnya: Camilla and Jon, who run a children's centre in Grozny, are kidnapped by Chechnyan soldiers, then raped and tortured.

India/Hostage to Terror: Rhys Partridge and Béla Nuss are kidnapped by Pakistani terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh while travelling in India.

Philippines: Fatal Mission/Kidnapped by Terrorists: Gracia and Martin Burnham are Christian missionaries in the Philippines who are kidnapped by members of Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim fundamentalist group.

Uganda/Death in the Jungle: Safari guide Mark Ross and his tour group are kidnapped by Hutu rebels in Uganda.

Malaysia: Monique and Callie Strydom, while vacationing in Malaysia, are kidnapped by a Muslim militant group and held hostage for four months in the Philippines.

[edit] Series 5 (2009)

Episode 1: Caracas/Venezuela Blues: David Evans is arrested trying to smuggle drugs from Venezuela to Amsterdam.

Episode 2: Philippines/Terror Island/Kidnapped in the Philippines: Church volunteer Greg Williams is kidnapped and tortured by members of Abu Sayyaf.

Episode 3: Puerto Vallarta/Mexican Justice/Cop Killer: Jake Libbon gets arrested in Mexico for selling marijuana, then is falsely accused of shooting two police officers.

Episode 4: Brazil/Brazil's Worst Prison/Busted in Brazil: Hollywood "party animal" Brendan Cosso and three friends are arrested trying to smuggle cocaine out of Brazil.

[edit] Series 6 (2009)

Episode 1: Indonesia/Escape from Hell/Busted In Bali: Chris Parnell is arrested in Indonesia after being accused of smuggling hashish.

Episode 2: Mexico/Boy From The Ghetto/Busted in Mexico: American teenager Alex Silva is arrested trying to smuggle marijuana from Mexico into the U.S.

Episode 3: Cuba/What's in The Bag: American Kahlilah Saleem is forced by her boyfriend to smuggle cocaine through Cuba in order to see her daughter.

Episode 4: Iraq/Kidnapped In Iraq: Journalists Scott Taylor and Zeynep Tugrul are kidnapped by insurgents who accuse them of being American spies.

Episode 5: Barbados/Busted and Pregnant: British teen Zara Whittaker is arrested at an airport trying to smuggle cocaine out of Barbados.

Episode 6: Ecuador/Master of Deception/Betrayed in Ecuador: Zoe McGarry, an Irish woman living in London, receives an eight-year prison sentence in Ecuador after the rucksack she was carrying is found to contain drugs. She was duped by someone who asked her to help her.

Episode 7: Sierra Leone/Jungle Siege: Major Phil Ashby tasked with disarming rebel fighters became trapped and attempted a daring escape.

Episode 8: Jamaica/Jamaican Getaway: T.K. White and her girlfriend are sent to Kingston's notorious central prison after attempting to smuggle marijuana.

Episode 9: India/Delhi/Party Girl: Clare Matthews, a British woman on extended vacation in Goa, ends up in an Indian prison after attempting to mail hashish from Delhi.

[edit] Series 7 (2010)

Episode 1: Istanbul/The Real Midnight Express: The 1977 book Midnight Express, and the Oscar-winning 1978 film on which it was based, also called Midnight Express, told the story of 20-year-old college student Billy Hayes - his imprisonment for drug smuggling and his escape from a prison in Istanbul, Turkey. But for legal reasons, the book, which Hayes co-wrote, was not completely accurate; and the film version strayed even further from the truth, for artistic reasons. In this episode, Billy tells the full story of being sent to the infamous Turkish Sagmalcilar prison and eventually escaping.

Episode 2: Iraq/Saddam's Iraq: When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, Tom Lynch and his fellow contractors decided to get out of Iraq while they still could, but were captured by Iraqi soldiers and taken to a notorious prison in Baghdad, where they must listen to inmates being tortured to death.

Episode 3: Tokyo/Tokyo Justice: After accepting an offer to work as a hostess in Japan, Jackie Nichols meets a charming Israeli drug smuggler and agrees to smuggle hashish with him. She gets away with it four times, but the fifth time, she's not so lucky.

Episode 4: Bangkok: A 28 year old English teacher named Tim Schrader agrees to smuggle 8 kilos of heroin into the U.S. to solve his financial problems. Although he knows he could receive the death penalty, the money is too tempting to resist.

Episode 5: Spain: With his girlfriend pregnant, musician Michael Morey agrees to smuggle cocaine from Quito to Spain. He barely makes it through Ecuadorian customs, but when he lands and goes through Spanish customs, he's not so lucky.

Episode 6: Panama: Young American backpacker Mark Wedeven and his companions decide to cross from Panama to Colombia through the jungles of the Darién Gap, where they are kidnapped by a paramilitary group.

[edit] Series 8 (2011)

Episode 1: USA/The Real Goodfella: Henry Hill, the inspiration behind Martin Scorsese’s movie, relives his descent from Mafia wise guy to a spell in Terminal Island Penitentiary.

Episode 2: Saudi Arabia/Saudi Bootlegger: Gordon Malloch's bootleg booze racket fuelled a party lifestyle in Saudi Arabia, until he got caught and found himself facing four years in jail.

Episode 3: Philippines/Prisoner Of Love: Briton David Scott tells the story of finding his soulmate in the Philippines – and risking a 14-year prison sentence for adultery.

Episode 4: Mexico/Funny Money: After heading to Mexico with a suitcase of fake money to buy drugs, Californian bodybuilder Jeremy found himself behind bars and in big trouble.

Episode 5: Mauritius /Heroin Sting: After being caught with a kilo of heroin in Mauritius, Brigene Young faced 45 years in jail – unless she could help catch the drug traffickers.

Episode 6: Spain/Daredevil Drug Runner: The tale of Chris Chance, whose daredevil life smuggling cannabis into the UK concealed in a rubber body suit led to a nasty prison sentence.

Episode 7: Argentina/The Cocaine Trap: Stephen Sutton got caught up when he was offered $15,000 to transport cocaine disguised as gold – leading to an 11-year jail sentence.

Episode 8: Peru/Drug Dealer Revenge: Company director Robert Pringle got seven years in a violent South American lock-up after being pressured into drug smuggling by his dealer.

Episode 9: Columbia/Teenage Drug Smuggler: Vivian Carrasquillo faced a crash diet in jail after an attempt to raise funds for gastric bypass surgery by becoming a drug mule backfired.

Episode 10: Thailand/Backstabbed In Thailand: Military veteran Kim Hood faced a life behind bars in a squalid Thai prison after being caught smuggling 14 kilos of heroin with a friend.

[edit] International airings

Country	Foreign title	Network(s)	Notes
United Kingdom	"Banged up Abroad" (Country of origin)	Channel 5	Also shown on National Geographic Channe UK
Norway	"Fengslet i Utlandet" (eng: "Imprisoned Abroad")	National Geographic Channel
Sweden	"Farlig Resa" (eng: "Dangerous Journey")	Sveriges Television & National Geographic Channel
Denmark	"Fra Paradis til Helvede" (eng: "From Paradise to Hell")	TV2	It was aired in Spring 2008, Spring 2009 and Winter 2010
Germany	"Horror Trips - Wenn Reisen zum Albtraum werden" (eng: "Horror Trips - when traveling becomes a nightmare")	National Geographic Channel
Finland	"Ongelmia Paratiisissa" (eng: "Trouble in Paradise")
United States	"Locked up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel
India	"Banged Up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel	It is aired as "Banged up Abroad" on National Geographic Adventure.
New Zealand	"Banged up Abroad"	TV1
Ireland	"Banged up Abroad"	TV3 & National Geographic Channel
Australia	"Banged up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel & 7mate
Canada	"Locked up Abroad" and "Voyage d'enfer" (French version)	National Geographic Channel (English) and Canal D (French)
Poland	"Podróż do piekła" (eng: "Journey to hell")	Discovery Channel
Netherlands	"Gevangen in het Buitenland" and "Locked up Abroad"	SBS6 and National Geographic Channel
Italy	"Prigionieri di viaggio" and "Prigionieri di viaggio: ostaggi"	National Geographic Channel
Belgium	"Locked up Abroad" and "Banged up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel	Aired as "Locked up Abroad" until 2009 and as Banged up Abroad in 2010
Romania	"Pierdut printre străini" (eng: "Lost among foreigners")	National Geographic Channel
Singapore	"Locked up Abroad" and "Banged up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel & National Geographic Adventure & Mediacorp Okto	It is aired as "Locked up Abroad" on National Geographic Channel and "Banged up Abroad" on National Geographic Adventure and Mediacorp Okto.
Spain	"Encarcelados en el extranjero" (Eng.: "Imprisoned abroad")	National Geographic Channel
South Africa	"Banged up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel
Venezuela	"Comidas Exóticas"	National Geographic Channel
Argentina	"Preso en el extranjero" (Eng.: "Jailed abroad")	National Geographic Channel
Thailand	"Locked up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel (TrueVisions 49)
Germany	"Horror Trips - Wenn Reisen zum Albtraum werden" (eng: "Horror Trips - when traveling becomes a nightmare")	National Geographic Channel
Brazil	"Férias na Prisão (Vacation in Prison)"	National Geographic Channel
Hungary	"Bekasztlizva Külföldön" (Eng.: "Locked up abroad")	National Geographic Channel
Philippines	"Locked Up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel
Malaysia	"Locked Up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel
Indonesia	"Locked Up Abroad"	National Geographic Channel
Israel	"כלואים בארץ זרה" (Eng.: "Locked up in a foreign land")	National Geographic Channel	It is aired as "Banged up abroad" on National Geographic Channel
Bulgaria	"Арестувани зад граница" (Eng.: "Arrested beyond border")	National Geographic Channel
Turkey	"Kabusa Dönen Yolculuklar" (Eng.: "Travels turned to nightmare")	National Geographic Adventure