An Australian man is reportedly being detained by Bali authorities after trying to give authorities the ol’ slip.
A small amount of marijuana and antidepressants was found in the luggage of Joshua James Baker at Bali’s airport when he landed in Denpasar from Thailand on Sunday.
After being handed over from Customs to police on Monday, the 32-year-old said he was feeling ill, so he was taken to a police hospital. Once there, he asked to go to the toilet and then apparently made a run for it. Baker got away for about 10 hours before he was rearrested later that day at a Kuta hotel, News Corp Australia is reporting.
Baker has not yet officially been declared a suspect, according to reports. What can we say? Bali police like to be really careful before jumping to conclusions.
The Aussie was flagged in Bali upon arrival when his luggage was X-rayed.
“He went through the Customs like other passengers. We felt suspicious when his luggage passed through the custom’s X-Ray. When we checked, we found the drugs inside his bag,” Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise chief Budi Harjanto told News Corp.
In Baker’s bag, officers found 36 grams of marijuana mixed with tobacco, along with 37 Diazepam antidepressant pills, said Harjanto.
“He said he brought it only for individual use, for himself. He said the drugs were planned to be used by himself. But we don’t know the truth,” Harjanto added.
Police are still testing the pills found in Baker’s luggage to confirm whether they really are Diazepam, says deputy director of the Narcotic Directorate of Bali Police, Suwardjoko.
Indonesia has extremely harsh anti-drug laws, with penalties of course being much more severe for dealers and traffickers versus users.
The Australian said he came to Bali for a holiday.
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