Global search for Australian man after Bali police find drugs worth $50 million in Kuta villa

Interpol has been alerted to an Australian man – known only as Mr A – who fled Bali after allegedly smuggling $50 million worth of drugs into the country.

An Australian man has set off a global manhunt following Balinese police’s alleged discovery of more than $5 million worth of drugs in a Kuta villa.

Indonesian police executed a raid on April 12, in which they discovered 35kg of ice, 32kg of cocaine, 800 ecstasy pills and 2.6kg of marijuana, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The mystery man, referenced only as “Mr A” by police, left behind most of his belongings, while three Indonesian nationals were arrested at the villa.

They were later displayed in handcuffs by police, who alleged the men had only told them they had been working under the direction of the Australian man.

Mr A was known by police, and believed to be aged about 32, according to local authorities.

The drugs have since been burned by police in line with Indonesian law after investigators took photos and documented evidence.

Three Indonesian men were shown in handcuffs alongside the recovered drugs in this police picture.

Police have alleged the three Indonesian men “facilitated” the Australian man’s operations.

“The hunt was carried out after the arrest of three Indonesian citizens with the initials AAP, KMS and KS in one of the villas in Kuta on April 12, 2022,” Bali police director of drug investigations Kombes Pol Mochamad Khozin told reporters.

“We have co-ordinated with Interpol to find this ­perpetrator.”

Police did not address why details have only just been released, almost two months after the bust.

Officials reportedly received a tip-off about the Australian man allegedly bringing 50kg of crystal meth into Indonesia, which has some of the world’s strictest drug laws.

Police burned all the drugs in line with local law.

People found guilty of smuggling large quantities of drugs risk being executed by a firing squad.

In 2015, Australian men Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad for their part as co-ringleaders of the Bali Nine drug smuggling operation.

Regarding this latest drug bust, Indonesian police said they were unsure if Mr A intended on selling the drugs in Bali, or was using the holiday destination as a temporary storage location before smuggling them overseas.