DENPASAR, Indonesia — Authorities in Bali have arrested multiple foreign nationals, including an Australian, an Indian, and an American, on narcotics-related charges that could lead to the death penalty under Indonesia’s strict drug laws.
Officials from the Bali Province branch of the National Narcotics Agency announced Thursday that customs officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport detained an Indian citizen, identified by the initials H.V., on May 29 after discovering drug-related items in a duffel bag during a customs inspection. Authorities said the bag had been brought from Los Angeles.
Interrogation of the Indian suspect led authorities to arrest an Australian man, P.R., who has reportedly been visiting Bali since 1988. According to I Made Sinar Subawa, a senior official with the narcotics agency, P.R. had asked H.V. to transport the duffel bag from the United States to Indonesia.
A subsequent search of a residence linked to P.R. uncovered multiple narcotics, including 191 grams of hashish, marijuana weighing 488 grams, and cannabis-infused candies containing tetrahydrocannabinol. Subawa said the drugs had been purchased via the Telegram messaging app and were shipped to Bali through intermediaries in Los Angeles and the Philippines.
Both H.V. and P.R. are under suspicion of trafficking illegal substances, and P.R. now faces potential charges under Indonesia’s Narcotics Law. The law permits capital punishment, life imprisonment, or a custodial sentence ranging from four to twelve years, depending on the severity of the offense.
In a separate case, an American national identified as W.M. was arrested on May 23 while retrieving a parcel from a Bali post office. Authorities said the package contained seven silver packets with a total of 99 amphetamine pills. A cellphone was also seized as evidence.
During a news conference held in Denpasar on Thursday, law enforcement officials presented narcotics and other seized materials recovered during the arrests. All suspects will face trial under Indonesia’s judicial system.
Indonesia enforces some of the harshest drug laws in the world, with possession, trafficking, or smuggling offenses often resulting in severe punishments. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has labeled the country a major drug-smuggling hub, with transnational syndicates targeting its youthful population.
Recent incidents have further highlighted the intensifying crackdown. On May 27, an Australian national was detained for allegedly smuggling cocaine. Earlier this week, three British nationals were formally charged in a Bali court for attempting to smuggle over two pounds of cocaine into the country.
Current figures from Indonesia’s Ministry of Immigration and Corrections reveal that approximately 530 people are on death row for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreign nationals. The most recent executions in Indonesia took place in July 2016, involving one Indonesian and three foreign nationals, all convicted of narcotics offenses.
