Australian Faces Bali Trial Over 1.7kg Cocaine Smuggling

Lamar Ahchee, a 43-year-old Australian man, has been charged in Bali with smuggling over 1.7 kilograms of cocaine, worth more than $1 million, into Indonesia. He faces multiple charges including drug importation, trafficking, possession, and personal use, with the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. The cocaine was allegedly concealed inside Lindt chocolate boxes, with 206 individual packets seized by authorities. Ahchee was arrested near his home in Canggu in May and appeared in Denpasar District Court where he chose not to object to the indictment. His defense team expressed confidence that he would avoid the death penalty, citing their experience with narcotics cases and aiming for a lenient outcome. The trial is ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for September 18 to hear witness testimonies.