Bali drug arrest: Woman facing death penalty after cocaine, ecstasy allegedly smuggled in bra, sex toy

A 42-year-old woman is facing a possible death sentence in Bali after a $100,000 find allegedly hidden inside underwear and sex toys, and potentially being recruited as a mule for $31,000 online.

The woman, who authorities have identified as a Peruvian citizen, allegedly travelled from Spain to Denpasar, via Qatar, on August 12.

The woman, identified by police as having initials NS, allegedly had 1.4kg of cocaine and 85 ecstasy pills with a street value of at least $100,000 hidden inside “underwear and sex toys”, a police spokesperson said.

Authorities said the woman was displaying suspicious behaviour at the airport and she was flagged for a search.

“The customs officers suspected her behaviour, and after consulting with the police, they did a further check on her,” Bali police narcotics unit director Radiant said at a press conference.

“The narcotics were hidden in six plastic packages wrapped in black duct tape inside a green bra, three similar packages in black underwear, and a sex toy containing drugs, which was inserted into her body.”

Indonesian Police are investigating a potential link to an international drug syndicate, believing the woman was “recruited” through the dark web to bring the drugs from Barcelona to Bali.

After customs officials made the discovery at I Ngurah Rai International Airport on August 12, she was arrested and taken to prison.

“Investigators believe the cocaine was intended for foreign residents in Bali, raising concerns over the island’s role as a market for international drug cartels,” the spokesperson added.

If convicted, the Peruvian woman could face death by firing squad as Indonesia continues its zero tolerance policy on drugs.

The tourist hotspot has had multiple noteworthy alleged drug smuggling incidents of late, as authorities attempt the stamp out drug problems.

Australian arrested on alleged drug importation in Bali

In May, Australian Lamar Aaron Ahchee, originally from Queensland, was arrested in Bali after allegedly attempting to import 1.7kg of cocaine into Indonesia.

Mr Ahchee, who lived in Sydney from around 2011 to 2017, has lived and worked in both Australia and Indonesia in recent years.

On April 12, 2025, Indonesian National Police alleged that two packages were sent from England to Indonesia.

Police say the two packages arrived in Denpasar on May 20 before being sent to two separate post offices — one in Mengwi, the other North Kuta.

Although not addressed to Mr Ahchee, the two packages allegedly ended up in his possession, leading to his arrest.

Customs officers carried out an X-ray of the two packages, with the result leading them to suspect that they contained narcotics concealed within.

The customs officers then worked with the Bali Police Narcotics Director to organise what they called a controlled delivery of the packages.

The alleged drug bust

On May 22, police allege Mr Ahchee used a driver to collect the two packages from the two post offices, before the driver, referred to by police as “witness YE”, took the packages to Mr Ahchee’s apartment.

Police said the collection of the packages happened in two separate trips, with Mr Ahchee allegedly ordering the driver to return for the second package.

Police swooped in after both packages were delivered, arresting Mr Ahchee at a property in North Kuta.

Police alleged they obtained 1.8kg of cocaine from the property, which without the package weighed 1.7kg.

Authorities claim to have also found scales, small plastic bags and a phone within the apartment where Mr Ahchee was arrested.

Mr Ahchee allegedly told police that he did not know the owner of the narcotics, instead claiming he had been ordered to collect the delivery from a person named “boss” in exchange for Rp. 50 million ($4750).

Police say the quantity of drugs seized in Mr Ahchee’s apartment had a street value of $1.1 million.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading confirmed they were assisting an Australian in Bali.

“Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment,” a spokesperson said.

Who is Lamar Aaron Ahchee, the Aussie arrested over alleged drug important in Bali

Mr Ahchee’s LinkedIn profile lists senior roles with high-profile companies including OMNIA Dayclub Bali (Hakkasan Group), Seadeck Australia and Marquee Nightclub Sydney.

It also includes a junior role as a public relations coordinator at Qantas.

According to his social media profiles, Mr Ahchee had been living in Indonesia since 2017.

His LinkedIn Profile lists his last role as general manager of Brick Lane Bali, a restaurant and bar in Canggu.

In a recent Facebook post, Mr Ahchee announced he was leaving Brick Lane to “embark on new adventures”.

“As I step away from general manager at Brick Lane to embark on new adventures, I want to take a moment to reflect on this incredible journey,” he wrote.

“From a slab of concrete to conceptualising a new vision, redesigning, and eventually transforming this space into a true spaceship, it’s been a ride that I will always be proud of.”

In another post in March 2024, Mr Ahchee announced his partner was moving to Bali to live with him after a chance encounter.

“Ohhh how pretty she is without makeup,” he said alongside a series of images and videos of a woman.

“My peace: her eyes, My happiness: her smile. My comfort: her lap. My home: her arms. My world: her.

“She is a deadly combination. A great sense of humour, dirty mind (she is German after all/ her Polish balances her out), and a beautiful heart.

“Today, she is moving to Bali.

“People never forget how you make them feel. 27 April 2023, it was pure magic how someone’s sight can make you smile.

“I was actually intimidated for the first time by (a) girl of her wittiness, beauty and charm.

“No person is sent to you by accident, the universe fights for certain souls to find one another, trust me, I’m 42.

“I believe when it’s finally right, everything that you love ruthlessly, will love you back with the same conviction.

“They led you to the person you were meant to be.

“No one can tell you or show you, it’s a feeling like no other. When you know, you know.

“I love you and I can’t wait for your life with me in Bali,” he wrote.

Indonesia’s drug policy

Indonesia has a zero-tolerance approach to drug-related offences, and has enforced its strict policy in the past with harsh penalties, including for Australian Schapelle Corby and the infamous Bali Nine.

Drug law in Bali is governed by Law 35, last updated in 2009.

The law, which was established in 1997 to “eradicate narcotics abuse and illicit trafficking”, now lists punishment for perpetrators as including the death penalty.

“To ensure a deterrent effect against perpetrators of narcotics and narcotics precursor abuse and illicit traffic, it (the 2009 update) also regulates about the weighting of criminal sanctions, either in the form of a special minimum criminal, imprisonment of 20 (twenty) years, life imprisonment, or the death penalty,” the law says.

“Criminal weighting is being made based on the class, type, size, and number of narcotics.”

Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine

In October 2004, Corby arrived at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, where customs officers located 4.2kg of cannabis concealed in a boogie board cover.

Corby claimed she had no involvement, with her legal team later arguing Corby had been used as an innocent mule by scheming baggage handlers in Australia.

By May 2005, Corby was sentenced to 20 years in the notorious Kerobokan Prison for drug importation.

After seven years inside one of the world’s hardest and most dangerous prisons, Corby was given a sentence reduction of five years, later leaving prison on parole in 2024.

On May 27, 2017, Corby was deported from Indonesia, finally returning to Australia.

Shortly before Corby’s conviction, a group of Australians were arrested in Bali over another alleged drug plot.

The Bali Nine, consisting of Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran, Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens and Renae Lawrence, were arrested in April 2005, found in possession of around 8.3kg of heroin that they were attempting to export to Australia.

Chan and Sukumaran, deemed to be the ringleader of the $4 million drug plot, were sentenced to death.

The two men were executed by firing squad on April 29, 2015 in Nusa Kambangan, Indonesia.

The remaining six male members, Chen, Czugai, Nguyen, Norman, Rush, and Stephens were eventually sentenced to life in prison after appeals were completed, with the sole female, Lawrence, sentenced to 20 years.

In 2018, Lawrence was released early due to good behaviour. She returned to her home town of Newcastle in New South Wales.

Shortly after Lawrence was freed, Nguyen died in a Jakarta hospital following a battle with cancer.

In December 2024, negotiations with the Albanese Government and the Indonesia Government secured the release of Czugaj, Norman, Chen, Stephens and Rush.