Troy Smith : “Australian Man Faces 20-Year Jail, $600K Fine For Selling Meth In Bali”

Indonesian police said the 49-year-old suspect, identified as Troy Smith, was arrested on April 30

Denpasar:

An Australian man is facing serious legal consequences in Bali after being apprehended for allegedly attempting to sell crystal meth. The 49-year-old suspect, known by his initials TAS but identified by Australian media as Troy Smith, was taken into custody on April 30 at a hotel on the popular tourist island.

During the arrest, authorities discovered 3.19 grams of crystal methamphetamine in his possession. Additionally, his wife, known only by her initials TIM, was also detained but later cleared of any involvement in the case.

Smith has been charged with a “drug transaction” offence, which pertains to the act of offering to sell or broker narcotics. According to Ponco Indriyo, Bali police deputy director of drugs investigation, this charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a hefty fine of 10 billion rupiah ($622,000).

Moreover, Smith faces a separate charge of drug possession, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison and a fine of up to 8 billion rupiah. Following his arrest, he underwent a urine test which returned positive for methamphetamine, confirming the presence of the illegal substance in his system.

Authorities revealed that the suspect had received a package containing the meth from a friend in Australia. The package, described in a Bali police press statement, consisted of “one Colgate toothpaste tube containing 3.15 grams of alleged crystal meth”.

Despite the severity of the charges, Smith did not make an appearance at the police press conference, a common practice in Indonesia for showcasing drug suspects to the media. It was clarified by Indriyo that there was no evidence linking his wife, TIM (referred to as Tracy Ijusa in Australian media reports), to the illicit activities.

Indonesia is renowned for having stringent drug laws, with penalties including the death sentence for drug traffickers. The country currently holds numerous traffickers on death row, including individuals involved in cocaine smuggling and heroin trafficking.

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