Millions in Cocaine Seized in Bali Drug Bust Targeting Jetstar Passengers
Authorities apprehended several individuals, including a Chilean couple, allegedly attempting to smuggle a significant quantity of cocaine into Bali via a flight originating from Melbourne.
Authorities in Bali have arrested several individuals, including a Chilean couple, in connection with an alleged attempt to smuggle approximately $2.2 million worth of cocaine into the Indonesian island.
The suspects were apprehended on October 3 after arriving on a Jetstar flight from Denpasar. The Chilean couple reportedly traveled from Santiago, with a transit stop at Melbourne Airport, before boarding the flight to Bali.
According to Bali Police, the alleged contraband, weighing 4.59 kilograms, was discovered concealed within false compartments in the passengers' carry-on luggage. The cocaine was divided into four black plastic packages.
The arrested group includes the Chilean couple and an Indonesian national who was allegedly the intended recipient of the drugs. Police stated that the Chileans were acting under the direction of a "controller" who remains at large.
Senior Commissioner Stevy Fritts Pattiasina emphasized that authorities maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs.
It is understood that the Chilean couple did not pass through customs checks in Melbourne as they were on a connecting flight. The street value of cocaine in Bali can reach as high as $500 per gram.
