An Indonesian court sentenced 43-year-old Australian Lamar Aaron Ahchee to 12 years in prison and a 2 billion rupiah fine after convicting him of smuggling 1.7 kg (3.7 lbs) of cocaine into Bali. Police seized the drugs, packaged in 206 small bags, during a May raid near Kuta Beach after tracing two suspicious parcels from England. The judges cited the large drug quantity and the defendant’s evasive conduct as aggravating factors; the sentence exceeded the prosecutor’s nine-year request. The case highlights concerns over drug smuggling into Indonesia and the country's severe penalties for drug offenses.
Australian Sentenced to 12 Years in Indonesia for Smuggling 1.7 kg of Cocaine to Bali
Australian national Lamar Ahchee, left, who is on trial on accusation of attempting to smuggle cocaine into Indonesia, talks to his lawyer during his sentencing hearing at the district court in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced Australian national Lamar Aaron Ahchee to 12 years in prison after finding him guilty of smuggling cocaine into the tourist island of Bali.
Case Details
Ahchee, 43, from Cairns in north Queensland, was arrested in May when police raided his rented home near Kuta Beach, a popular tourist area. Officers recovered 1.7 kilograms (3.7 pounds) of cocaine packaged in 206 small clip plastic bags, along with a digital scale and a mobile phone.
Bali police anti-drug surveillance teams said the arrest followed an investigation that found Ahchee had received two suspicious parcels by post from England. Authorities said he was suspected of importing or distributing narcotics. During the hearing, Ahchee denied knowing the packages contained cocaine.
Australian national Lamar Ahchee, center, who is on trial on accusation of attempting to smuggle cocaine into Indonesia, arrives for his sentencing hearing at the district court in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Trial and Sentence
Presiding Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima, speaking for a three-judge panel, handed down a 12-year prison term and imposed a fine of 2 billion rupiah (about $119,583). The sentence exceeded the prosecutor’s request for a nine-year term.
The judges cited several aggravating factors: the large quantity of drugs, which the court said could harm many people and damage Bali’s tourism reputation, and what they described as the defendant’s evasive behavior and attempts to obscure facts.
Wider Context
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has identified Indonesia as a significant drug-smuggling hub despite the country’s strict drug laws, noting that international syndicates often target young populations. Government data show about 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes. Indonesia last carried out executions in July 2016.
Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
