‘Lawful in Bali doesn’t mean it’s lawful here’: Valium haul lands man in court

A southern suburbs man who purchased more than 160 valium tablets on holiday in Bali and brought them back to Adelaide has faced court.

A Huntfield Heights man has faced court charged with unlawfully possessing more than 160 valium tablets.

The court heard the 39-year-old father of two – whose name is suppressed – bought the tablets after obtaining a prescription from a doctor in Bali.

A police prosecutor said the 162 tablets were found in man’s bedroom during a police search in May 2019.

A defence lawyer told the Christies Beach Magistrates Court the man had a prescription in Australia for diazepam – sold under the name valium.

“Prosecution have pointed out is (he) in Australia is prescribed 5mg tablets and the tablets that were found were 10mg however (he) is prescribed four tablets of 5mg per day so a total of 20mg,” she said.

A Huntfield Heights man has been charged with possessing 162 diazepam tablets he purchased in Bali. Picture: iStock

Magistrate Susan O’Connor said although the man legally obtained the tablets in Bali and declared them upon his arrival to Australia it did not make his possession of the drugs legal in Australia.

“It might be lawful in Bali it doesn’t mean it’s lawful here,” she said.

“This is him being in possession of a drug of dependence and a controlled substance which has got nothing to do with customs, importing, nothing like that.

“There is not an ability to South Australian residents to go to Bali and pick up pseudoephedrine, these sorts of tablets and anything they might want which is banned here without a prescription.”

The man’s lawyer and prosecution will meet again in March to continue negotiations.