2 days ago
EXCLUSIVE Aussie arrested during a routine traffic stop faces shock drugs charges after a wild night of partying
A third Australian man has been arrested in Bali for an alleged drug offence in as many weeks after he was seized during a traffic stop following a night of partying.
Philip James Nelson, 33, was arrested after allegedly being caught driving a scooter without a helmet on in North Kuta, Bali on Wednesday afternoon.
Bali police allege he was caught with 0.85g of cocaine and 0.53g of MDMA, which they claim fell from his pocket during the incident.
Nelson, who had been living in a villa in the seaside village of Perenan, is alleged to have told authorities he found the drugs in a night club the evening prior to his arrest.
Police immediately detained Nelson and took him to Badung Police Station where officials will have up to six days to name his as a suspect for a drug offence.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about Nelson's arrest.
He is the third Australian man to be arrested in as many weeks on suspicion of drug-related offending.
On May 29, Queensland man Puridas Robinson, 40, was detained after police allegedly found a stash of marijuana at his West Denpasar villa.
Like MDMA and cocaine, marijuana is a Class 1 drug in Indonesia.
His arrest comes after the arrest of Harsh Vardhan Nowlakha at Bali Airport in May when Nowlakha arrived from Los Angeles allegedly carrying 600g of marijuana.
Nowlakha allegedly told investigators that he brought the drugs for Robinson and police followed him to Robinson's address where they searched the property.
Robinson denied that he ordered the drugs.
The head of the drugs eradication unit at Bali Branch National Narcotic Agency, Senior Commander Made Sinar Subawa, told Daily Mail Australia Robinson would not be charged with trafficking.
Instead, he may be charged with drug possession which carries a maximum 12 year prison term.
It followed the arrest of fellow Aussie Lamar Ahchee, 43, on May 22 after allegedly smuggling 1.8kg of cocaine from the UK while living in Bali.
Ahchee has not yet been charged by officials but could face a potential death sentence if convicted of smuggling the cocaine worth an estimated $1.1million.
Following his arrest, Ahchee's family descended on the island where his sister Stephanie issued a message of thanks to Balinese officials.
'Our family wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to the Indonesian authorities for their professionalism and impartiality in handling Lamar's case,' she said.
'We are grateful for the fair and respectful treatment he has received from law enforcement and legal officials throughout this process.'
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.'
