Five freed members of Bali Nine drug gang 'relieved and happy' to be home
The remaining five Australians from the infamous Bali Nine drug gang are “relieved and happy” to be home after Canberra struck a deal with Jakarta to end their two decades of imprisonment. The five, who were serving life sentences, belong to a wider group of nine who were caught attempting to smuggle more than 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of heroin out of Bali’s international airport and into Australia in 2005. They were freed and sent home on Sunday.
Grateful for the Release
“I am pleased to confirm that Australian citizens, Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush and Martin Stephens have returned to Australia this afternoon,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on X on Sunday.
Decades of Advocacy
The botched plot has long been a point of tension between the two countries with the Australian government advocating for their return for decades. Indonesia executed the group’s two Australian ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in 2015, prompting then Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to call it “a dark moment in the relationship.”
Gratitude to Indonesian President
Last month, Albanese raised the men’s case to Indonesia’s newly sworn-in President Prabowo Subianto on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Peru. Indonesia’s Law Minister had confirmed at the time that it had agreed to return the remaining men, the agency said.
Opportunity for Rehabilitation
The five members are now set to be free, Nine News reported. In a separate joint statement with Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, “The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Notable Arrest and Sentences
The Bali Nine were arrested in 2005 by Indonesian police following a tip from Australian authorities. Four of them were arrested at Denpasar International Airport with over 8 kilograms of heroin strapped to their bodies, while another four were found at a hotel on the island of Kuta. Chan, one of the ringleaders, was captured after boarding a plane to Sydney. Chan and Sukumaran were sentenced to death, while the other seven were eventually handed a life sentence after an appeal.
Strict Laws on Drug Trafficking
The case of the Bali Nine highlighted the strict laws on drug trafficking in Indonesia, where several foreigners are currently detained on similar charges.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
