Outrage as taxpayers foot the bill to help accused Aussie drug smuggler as he faces the death penalty in Bali after he was allegedly caught with 1.8kg of coke
Outrage has been sparked after it emerged taxpayers are set to foot the bill for assistance offered to an Aussie facing the death penalty in Bali.
Former News Corp editor David Penberthy took aim at Aussies who attempt to smuggle drugs into Indonesia following the arrest of Queenslander Lamar Ahchee.
The 43-year-old son of former Queensland Senior Constable Les Ahchee was arrested in Bali last Thursday after he was allegedly caught collecting two parcels sent from the UK.
About 1.8kg of cocaine was allegedly hidden inside two Lindt chocolate boxes, each containing 54 individual packets with 8.3g of cocaine each.
The former tech manager originally from Cairns in Far North Queensland has allegedly tested positive for drugs while in police custody.
Lamar Ahchee's lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, told reporters his client firmly denied dealing drugs, but conceded he was a 'drug addict'.
'Lamar has been set up by someone called "Boss",' Mr Pangkahila said, referencing a stranger in England who allegedly sent the Lindt boxes.
'He was told to collect the package, but he actually didn't know what the package was. He thought it was a normal package.'
The quantity of cocaine Ahchee is accused of trying to smuggle into Indonesia, with an estimated street value of $1.1million, puts him over the threshold for the death penalty.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed it is offering consular assistance to an Australian in Bali.
Despite the harsh penalties the Aussie is facing, Penberthy believed many Australians would prefer Ahchee be left to his own devices than shoulder his bill.
'There are gigantic yellow billboards in every Indonesian airport featuring a large image of a gun and warning: "This country executes drug dealers",' he wrote in the Sunday Mail.
'Nothing too subtle about that.'
The journalist used prior cases of Australians caught smuggling drugs into Indonesia, like the Bali Nine, to highlight the 'presumptuousness' of 'taxpayer-funded assistance'.
'I never saw any polling on the question but my hunch is that most Australians wouldn't have much cared if the Bali Nine actually remained in jail in Bali for the rest of their lives,' he said.
'Lamar Ahchee has become the latest Aussie to put his hand up for consular assistance.
'Maybe I've had a compassion bypass. Maybe you don't want your government to leave you high and dry by withholding any assistance before you've even been found guilty.
'But [if] you have been found guilty, I think many Australians struggle to understand our unyielding generosity on behalf of all these halfwits who are incapable of working out what the gun is alluding to on those big yellow billboards.'
Ahchee's lawyer said his client was 'very upset and stressed' at the prospect he could face the death penalty if he is found guilty.
He called on police to track down the person who allegedly set up his client.
'If we can get this guy, we will find out the whole story here,' Mr Pangkahila said.
Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya alleged the chocolate boxes arrived in Indonesia on May 12.
When the packages arrived at the Renon Main Post Office, customs officers at Ngurah Rai Airport scanned them and suspected they contained narcotics.
Officers and the Bali Regional Police Narcotics Directorate organised a controlled delivery as part of their investigation.
They allege the first package came from Runwell, east of London, and was addressed to 'Alex and Julie' in Kuta Utara, near Canggu.
The second was allegedly sent from Braintree, a town east of London, to 'Dave Jones' in the same region.
The following day, police alleged Ahchee asked a driver to collect the packages from the post office.
They met at a restaurant on May 22, and the Australian businessman allegedly took the packages back to Canggu.
Ahchee was then arrested by the Bali drug squad and allegedly suffered several injuries while resisting arrest.
They allege he offered almost 50million Indonesian rupiah, about AU$4700, to receive and distribute the drugs.
Ahchee has been charged with three drug offences, including importing drugs.
Originally from Cairns, Ahchee has been living in Bali 2017.
He worked in hospitality and had stepped down as the general manager of Canggu restaurant Brick Lane Bali in November after eight months.
His online profiles revealed he worked as the director and co-founder of tech groups in Jakarta and Bali from 2019, as well as previously for marketing firms in Sydney.
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