Indonesian authorities announced on Tuesday the arrest of six individuals on drug-related charges in Bali since July. Four of the accused face potential execution under Indonesia’s strict drug laws.
Among those arrested were two Thai nationals, Rachanon Jongseeha, 33, and his girlfriend Woranawan Wongsuwan, 31, who were apprehended at Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport on September 8. They were found in possession of 1.9 kilograms (4.1 pounds) of methamphetamine mixed with ecstasy powder, packaged in 108 sachets of a fruit-flavored collagen drink, along with 20 ecstasy pills, according to provincial anti-narcotics chief Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat.
Two Indonesians were later arrested on suspicion of ordering the drugs from Thailand. All four suspects could face execution by firing squad if found guilty, Sudrajat said. This is reminiscent of a 2019 case where a Bali court sentenced two Thai citizens to 16-year prison terms for smuggling 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine.
In addition, authorities reported the arrest of two European men on separate drug charges in July. A Latvian national, identified by the initials VS, was detained at the airport on July 4 with 450.41 grams (15.8 ounces) of hashish and 977.83 grams (34.5 ounces) of marijuana concealed in his luggage. Sudrajat noted that VS bore a tattoo indicating possible ties to organized crime in the former Soviet Union and could face a life sentence for smuggling cannabis.
A Swedish man, identified as SUE, was arrested on July 31 after police raided his villa in Gianyar, a tourist hotspot. They seized 201.28 grams (7 ounces) of hashish, following a tip-off about a suspicious package from Thailand. He could face up to 15 years in prison for possession.
Indonesia currently has dozens of drug smugglers on death row, with the last executions taking place in July 2016, when an Indonesian and three foreign nationals were executed by firing squad. In 2019, a French citizen was initially sentenced to death for smuggling 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of ecstasy but later had his sentence reduced to 19 years in prison following an appeal.
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Thai nationals, Rachanon Jongseeha, second left and Woranawan Wongsuwan, third from left, line up during a news conference at the Bali Province national narcotics board on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) credit Khaosod
