An Australian man has been arrested after he was allegedly found with heroin at an airport in Bali, and now faces the death penalty.
On 6 September, diving instructor Graham Welton Jeffrey Huynh – who also uses the name Jeff Welton – was arrested at Denpasar International Airport in Bali after having travelled from Vietnam.
The 51-year-old was allegedly found with an amount of heroin hidden in his anus, and is now facing drug possession and importation charges.
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Huynh is accused of having had 8.09 grams of heroine hidden in a condom in his anus, as well as carrying a small amount of methamphetamine.
He now faces a maximum life sentence for possessing over five grams of drugs, according to Article 112, subsection two of the narcotics law.
However, the 51-year-old also faces the maximum death penalty for importing over five grams of narcotics.
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Huynh currently lives in Perth, but was born in Hong Kong. He has a dual British and Australian passport.
Huynh's arrest was confirmed yesterday, 24 September, by the head of Bali Narcotic Agency, Gede Sugianya Dwi Putra, to News Corp Australia.
However, a press conference has yet to be held and is anticipated to take place next Thursday, 29 September, according to Dwi Putra.
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Huynh's lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, has also confirmed the arrest 'by the Narcotic Agency at the airport'.
Pangkahila claims Huynh has been suffering with a drug addiction problem to heroin for over 15 years.
The lawyer told 9News: "He is an addict. He put eight grams of heroin in his body. He took from Vietnam to Indonesia. Urine test from him is positive: heroin."
If Pangkahila can prove Huynh isn't a dealer, but a drug addict and user, then he may be able to get his client a lighter sentence and rehabilitation, as opposed to jail time.
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He said: "As the lawyer, we are working on it and hopefully he can get rehabilitation. He is a drug user who has been severely addicted to heroin. He really needs rehabilitation.
"We have requested the narcotic agency to conduct an assessment for his drug addiction."
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Topics: Australia, Crime, World News, Drugs
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