Latest news with #Ahchee
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Aussie Faces Death Penalty for Drug Arrest in Bali Surf Hub
Indonesia's drug enforcement laws are notoriously some of the strictest in the world. Mere possession of a minor amount of the country's Class 1 narcotics – which includes everything from heroin to meth to marijuana – can equate to years behind bars, and thousands of dollars in fees. And the penalties only go up from there. For one Australian native, he's facing the most severe legal repercussions possible for accusations of trafficking cocaine into the surf-rich region of Bali's Canggu. Lamar Ahchee is alleged to have smuggled (or, rather, received a package with) $1.1 million worth of cocaine, hidden in chocolate wrappers, when he was caught by authorities – and now he's facing the death penalty. According to Ahchee's lawyer, he was set up. He didn't know what was in the packages. Per his legal representative, Edward Pangkahila: 'It's not true, he didn't admit [to dealing], he is shocked about the case, he never thought that would happen. Lamar has been set up by someone called 'Boss.' He was told to collect the package, but he actually didn't know what the package was… He thought it was a normal package. He's telling me that honestly, he doesn't know what was inside. We're still looking for that somebody who tell him to take this package.'This isn't the first time foreigners have faced the strict arm of the law in Bali, when it comes to drug charges. Not even close. There's a long history of surfers attempting to smuggle drugs into the country, through creative methods, and getting caught. For example, hiding drugs in surfboards has been a common tactic – although many have been caught. Diving deep into the history, in a piece highlighting the dangers of drug smuggling in Bali from a past print issue, writer Kathryn Bonella spoke with those convicted. One accused summed it up as such: 'Bali can be heaven one minute and hell in the next. You live the fantasy, you live the dream, but one day you wake up.'Aussie Faces Death Penalty for Drug Arrest in Bali Surf Hub first appeared on Surfer on May 30, 2025
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Australian man's bombshell claim after drug arrest in Bali
An Australian man who could face the death penalty in Indonesia over an alleged attempt to smuggle $1.1m worth of cocaine into Bali claims he was set up and had no idea the parcels he collected contained drugs. Lamar Ahchee, 43, originally from Cairns and the son of former Queensland senior constable Les Ahchee, was arrested last Thursday after allegedly collecting two drug-filled parcels sent from the UK. Authorities allege 1.8kg of cocaine was concealed inside two Gold Lindt chocolate boxes, with each box containing 54 individually wrapped packets of the drug that weighed 8.3g per packet. Mr Ahchee allegedly tested positive for drugs while in custody. His lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, said his client denied any involvement in drug trafficking. 'He's telling me that honestly, he doesn't know what was inside. We're still looking for that somebody who tell him to take this package,' Mr Pangkahila said. 'The police have to find this guy.' Mr Pangkahila said his client was 'very upset and stressed' by the ordeal. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that consular support was being provided to an Australian man detained in Bali but declined to provide further information due to privacy obligations. Bali police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said the parcels arrived in Indonesia on May 12 and were flagged as suspicious after being scanned at Ngurah Rai Airport. A controlled delivery was then conducted by customs and the Bali Regional Police Narcotics Directorate. One parcel was allegedly sent from Runwell, east of London, addressed to 'Alex and Julie' in Kuta Utara, near Canggu. The other reportedly came from Braintree and was addressed to 'Dave Jones' in the same area. On May 22, police allege Mr Ahchee arranged for a driver to pick up the parcels. After meeting the driver at a restaurant, he allegedly took the packages back to a location in Canggu, where he was arrested by the Bali drug squad. Authorities say he resisted arrest and sustained injuries during the encounter. Police allege Mr Ahchee was in possession of 1.8kg of cocaine, an amount that carries the death penalty under Indonesian law, and he was offered nearly 50 million rupiah (about $A4700) to receive and distribute the drugs. He has since been charged with three drug offences, including importing narcotics. Mr Ahchee has been living in Bali since 2017. He previously worked in hospitality and resigned as general manager of Canggu restaurant Brick Lane Bali in November last year after eight months in the role. His LinkedIn profile states he co-founded and directed tech companies in Jakarta and Bali from 2019 and previously worked in marketing in Sydney. His arrest comes just five months after the final members of the infamous Bali Nine returned to Australia, almost two decades after they were caught attempting to smuggle heroin from the holiday island in 2005. Ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in 2015. Another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died in custody in 2018. Renae Lawrence, who was the only member to avoid a life sentence or the death penalty, was released in 2018. The group had attempted to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin strapped to their bodies.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Australian denies drug trafficking in Bali
An Australian man who could face the death penalty in Indonesia over an alleged attempt to smuggle $1.1m worth of cocaine into Bali claims he was set up and had no idea the parcels he collected contained drugs. Lamar Ahchee, 43, originally from Cairns and the son of former Queensland senior constable Les Ahchee, was arrested last Thursday after allegedly collecting two drug-filled parcels sent from the UK. Authorities allege 1.8kg of cocaine was concealed inside two Gold Lindt chocolate boxes, with each box containing 54 individually wrapped packets of the drug that weighed 8.3g per packet. Mr Ahchee allegedly tested positive for drugs while in custody. His lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, said his client denied any involvement in drug trafficking. 'He's telling me that honestly, he doesn't know what was inside. We're still looking for that somebody who tell him to take this package,' Mr Pangkahila said. 'The police have to find this guy.' Mr Pangkahila said his client was 'very upset and stressed' by the ordeal. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that consular support was being provided to an Australian man detained in Bali but declined to provide further information due to privacy obligations. Bali police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said the parcels arrived in Indonesia on May 12 and were flagged as suspicious after being scanned at Ngurah Rai Airport. A controlled delivery was then conducted by customs and the Bali Regional Police Narcotics Directorate. One parcel was allegedly sent from Runwell, east of London, addressed to 'Alex and Julie' in Kuta Utara, near Canggu. The other reportedly came from Braintree and was addressed to 'Dave Jones' in the same area. On May 22, police allege Mr Ahchee arranged for a driver to pick up the parcels. After meeting the driver at a restaurant, he allegedly took the packages back to a location in Canggu, where he was arrested by the Bali drug squad. Authorities say he resisted arrest and sustained injuries during the encounter. Police allege Mr Ahchee was in possession of 1.8kg of cocaine, an amount that carries the death penalty under Indonesian law, and he was offered nearly 50 million rupiah (about $A4700) to receive and distribute the drugs. He has since been charged with three drug offences, including importing narcotics. Mr Ahchee has been living in Bali since 2017. He previously worked in hospitality and resigned as general manager of Canggu restaurant Brick Lane Bali in November last year after eight months in the role. His LinkedIn profile states he co-founded and directed tech companies in Jakarta and Bali from 2019 and previously worked in marketing in Sydney. His arrest comes just five months after the final members of the infamous Bali Nine returned to Australia, almost two decades after they were caught attempting to smuggle heroin from the holiday island in 2005. Ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in 2015. Another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died in custody in 2018. Renae Lawrence, who was the only member to avoid a life sentence or the death penalty, was released in 2018. The group had attempted to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin strapped to their bodies.
West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
Australian man arrested in Bali says he had no idea drug parcels contained cocaine
An Australian man who could face the death penalty in Indonesia over an alleged attempt to smuggle $1.1m worth of cocaine into Bali claims he was set up and had no idea the parcels he collected contained drugs. Lamar Ahchee, 43, originally from Cairns and the son of former Queensland senior constable Les Ahchee, was arrested last Thursday after allegedly collecting two drug-filled parcels sent from the UK. Authorities allege 1.8kg of cocaine was concealed inside two Gold Lindt chocolate boxes, with each box containing 54 individually wrapped packets of the drug that weighed 8.3g per packet. Mr Ahchee allegedly tested positive for drugs while in custody. His lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, said his client denied any involvement in drug trafficking. 'He's telling me that honestly, he doesn't know what was inside. We're still looking for that somebody who tell him to take this package,' Mr Pangkahila said. 'The police have to find this guy.' Mr Pangkahila said his client was 'very upset and stressed' by the ordeal. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that consular support was being provided to an Australian man detained in Bali but declined to provide further information due to privacy obligations. Bali police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said the parcels arrived in Indonesia on May 12 and were flagged as suspicious after being scanned at Ngurah Rai Airport. A controlled delivery was then conducted by customs and the Bali Regional Police Narcotics Directorate. One parcel was allegedly sent from Runwell, east of London, addressed to 'Alex and Julie' in Kuta Utara, near Canggu. The other reportedly came from Braintree and was addressed to 'Dave Jones' in the same area. On May 22, police allege Mr Ahchee arranged for a driver to pick up the parcels. After meeting the driver at a restaurant, he allegedly took the packages back to a location in Canggu, where he was arrested by the Bali drug squad. Authorities say he resisted arrest and sustained injuries during the encounter. Police allege Mr Ahchee was in possession of 1.8kg of cocaine, an amount that carries the death penalty under Indonesian law, and he was offered nearly 50 million rupiah (about $A4700) to receive and distribute the drugs. He has since been charged with three drug offences, including importing narcotics. Mr Ahchee has been living in Bali since 2017. He previously worked in hospitality and resigned as general manager of Canggu restaurant Brick Lane Bali in November last year after eight months in the role. His LinkedIn profile states he co-founded and directed tech companies in Jakarta and Bali from 2019 and previously worked in marketing in Sydney. His arrest comes just five months after the final members of the infamous Bali Nine returned to Australia, almost two decades after they were caught attempting to smuggle heroin from the holiday island in 2005. Ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in 2015. Another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died in custody in 2018. Renae Lawrence, who was the only member to avoid a life sentence or the death penalty, was released in 2018. The group had attempted to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin strapped to their bodies.
1News
4 days ago
- 1News
Australian man faces death penalty after Bali cocaine arrest
A 43-year-old Australian man is facing the death penalty in Indonesia, after allegedly trying to smuggle $1.2 million worth of cocaine into Bali disguised in chocolate packaging. Lamar Aaron Ahchee was arrested last week following a controlled delivery operation by Indonesian police and customs officials. Authorities allege he attempted to import 1.8 kilograms of cocaine into the country, hidden inside Lindt chocolate balls. The drugs were reportedly sent in two packages from the UK to Bali. According to Bali police, officers swooped in during the handover at a Canggu villa after receiving a tip-off from the public. Ahchee was allegedly paid 50 million Indonesian rupiah (NZ$5000) to collect and distribute the drugs. He now faces multiple charges under Indonesia's strict narcotics laws, including importing and distributing a Class 1 drug, which carries penalties ranging from life imprisonment to death by firing squad. ADVERTISEMENT Ahchee is believed to be originally from Cairns, Queensland, and had been working in hospitality and marketing in Bali prior to his arrest. Social media posts from earlier this year show him promoting the popular Brick Lane restaurant in Canggu, where he was the general manager until March. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it is providing consular assistance to an Australian man detained in Bali. Indonesia maintains some of the harshest drug laws in the world. Travellers to the popular holiday island are regularly warned of the country's zero-tolerance stance, which has seen several foreigners handed death sentences in the past. His arrest comes five months after the last remaining members of the infamous Bali Nine drug smuggling ring were released from Indonesian prisons and repatriated to Australia.
