An Australian man could face the death penalty after he was arrested in Bali with a package allegedly containing 1.7 kilograms of cocaine.
Businessman Lamar Ahchee, 43, was allegedly caught with the drugs after they arrived in a package from Thailand. That quantity of drugs would mean punishment by death penalty or decades in prison, if he is convicted of the crime.
The Cocaine was Hidden Inside Chocolate Wrappers
Local police authorities showed off the alleged haul – 1.7 kgs of the cocaine hidden inside chocolate wrappers Police allege they identified two suspicious packages sent from Thailand during an X-ray and claim Ahchee asked his driver to pick them up.
However, police were waiting, and once Ahchee received the consignment at his apartment in Canggu, he was arrested. The Queensland man allegedly resisted the arrest and sustained multiple injuries.
Indonesia Has Strict Laws for Drug Trafficking Offenses
Ahchee previously moved from Cairns to Sydney and then to Bali in 2017. He previously posted that he was a general manager of the restaurant, Brick Lane Bali. He has also worked for tech groups in Jakarta. Bali police allege that Ahchee is part of an international drug ring.
Indonesia has harsh laws for drug trafficking offences and the penalty is life imprisonment or death. It comes more than 10 years after nine Australians were arrested in Bali for attempting to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin — a street value of more than $4 million — out of Indonesia in 2005.
Ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in April 2015. The remaining seven — Renae Lawrence, Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj, Martin Stephens, Matthew Norman, Si Yi Chen and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen — were sentenced to life in prison.
