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One Indonesian The court sentenced one on Thursday Australian A man has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine onto the tourist island of Bali.
Lamar Aaron Ahchi, 43, from Cairns in the north queenslandwas arrested in May when police raided his rented home near Kuta Beach, a popular tourist destination on the island. They seized 1.7 kilograms (3.7 lb) of cocaine in 206 clip plastic bags, a digital scale and cellular phones.
The arrest followed an investigation by Bali Police’s anti-narcotics surveillance teams, who reported that the man had received two suspicious packages sent by mail. EnglandAccording to Indonesian police, he was suspected of importing or distributing narcotics,
Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima, who chaired the three-judge panel, announced the sentence of 12 years in prison and a fine of 2 billion rupiah ($119,583).
The verdict was harsher than the prosecutor’s demand for a nine-year prison sentence.
During the hearing, Achi denied that he knew that the package he received was cocaine.
The judges considered several factors that made sentencing difficult, Pastima said, including the fact that Ahchi was found to be in possession of a large amount of cocaine, which could harm many people and harm the quality and safety of tourism in Bali. The judge also said that the defendant was evasive and tried to obscure the facts.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug-trafficking hub, despite having the strictest drug laws in the world, as international drug syndicates target its young population.
Statistics from the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections show that about 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes. The last time an Indonesian and three foreigners were hanged in Indonesia was in July 2016.
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Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.