Bali drug bust: Australian man allegedly caught with 19.97g of methamphetamine

AUSTRALIAN accountant Isaac Emmanuel Roberts, arrested on drugs charges in Bali, has collapsed after being paraded at a press conference.

QUEENSLAND accountant and political aspirant Isaac Emmanuel Roberts, arrested on drugs charges in Bali which carry the death penalty, has been rushed to a police hospital suffering what his lawyer says is shock.

The 35-year-old fell ill on Monday night in the aftermath of being paraded, in a balaclava, at a press conference earlier today and is now being treated in the Trijata police hospital in Denpasar.

The former Liberal Democrat candidate arrived at Bali airport allegedly carrying 19.97 grams of methamphetamine in his luggage, and now faces drugs charges which carry a maximum 20 years in jail or the death penalty.

Lawyer Deni Sedana, one of a team of four representing Roberts, said his client had fallen ill late today and that he often suffered from depression and was a suicide risk. Roberts was given medication and then later returned to his jail cell at police headquarters.

Australian Isaac Emmanuel Roberts was arrested after a search of his luggage at Bali’s international airport on December 4 this year.

Roberts was arrested after allegedly arriving in Bali with 19.97 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Picture: Lukman Bintoro

Looking pale, Roberts lay in a hospital bed at Trijata hospital, covered by a blue and white striped blanket.

Mr Sedana said Roberts had a long history of drug-taking and had medical records of drug treatment in Australia.

“He got sick. He was shocked after the press conference today. Maybe he never thought that he will be in the press conference,” Mr Sedana told News Corp Australia. “He has a big tendency to do suicide because he often feels depression. He has a mental disorder.”

“He has a long history of drugs. He has medical records from Australia, where he was treated for drugs.”

Mr Sedana said Roberts’ original plan had been to fly directly from Bangkok to Australia but he was convinced by an Indonesian friend to go to Bali. He had only planned to stay two or three days in Bali. But he was arrested when he landed at the airport.

Roberts had visited Bali several times previously, his lawyer said.

Roberts suggested to media he had been ‘set up.’

Roberts, who was born in Toowoomba in Queensland, stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate in the blue ribbon seat of Higgins in Melbourne, vacated by former treasurer Peter Costello, when he retired in late 2009. Roberts polled eighth out of the 10 candidates.

Roberts was brought into a media conference today wearing a black balaclava over his head and bright orange prisoner shorts and shirt.

He and two others sat on chairs behind officials, guarded by two officers also wearing balaclavas and carrying rifles and he was made to stand as officials displayed the drugs allegedly found in his luggage.

Roberts, 35, was arrested after a search of his luggage when he landed at Bali’s international airport on December 4 this year but details of his arrest were kept secret until today when officials announced the bust.

Roberts was angered at being paraded for the media, telling local reporters it was ridiculous and suggesting that he had been working with Customs and invited to Bali and that Customs knew he was bringing something with him.

“Parading small time users in front of media for tiny amounts when there are kilos coming through this airport. It’s ridiculous,” Roberts told the media, suggesting he had been set up.

“I was invited to this country. I was working with a Customs officer and they knew I was going to bring something,” he said as he was bundled away.

“They want to waste their resources on addicts, they want to punish addicts.”

Roberts was paraded before the media with an American and Malaysian man, arrested on unrelated matters.

All three wore balaclavas, supplied to them by police. As they sat down, the American man says: “Where are our lawyers? Can you believe this? I can’t believe it.”

Drug suspects in Bali are regularly paraded before the media wearing black balaclavas supplied to them by police, generally to shield their identity.

The men were arrested after arriving at Ngurah Rai International airport in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. Picture: Agung Parameswara/Getty Images

Officials say they found the drugs during a routine X-ray of Roberts’ luggage. Picture: Lukman Bintoro

ROBERTS ‘ADMITTED TO BEING DRUG USER’

Police said Roberts had allegedly admitted to being a user of drugs but not a dealer, hence he may not face available charges which carry the death penalty for drug importation. Indonesia treats drug users more leniently than traffickers and dealers.

Roberts will likely face charges for drug possession and importation and importing and possessing a psychotropic drug. A customs official said this was punishable by maximum death penalty, life sentence or minimum five years and maximum 20 years in jail.

They alleged that secreted inside Roberts’ luggage was 14.32 grams of methamphetamine, 6.22 grams of ecstasy and 22ml of Alprazolam, better known as the anti-anxiety drug Xanas.

Customs officials allege that Roberts appeared suspicious after his arrival on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Bali and after a routine x-ray of his luggage he was further searched in a Customs examination room.

Evidence presented at a Bali police station. Picture: News Corp Australia

Roberts, whose personal website includes his picture, describes himself as a qualified chartered accountant, chartered tax adviser and registered tax agent. His Twitter account describes him as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser in Sydney.

In November 2015 Roberts faced a Professional Conduct Tribunal of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand hearing, accused of failing to reply to correspondence regarding his the completion of his liability capping questionnaire and reporting on his professional indemnity arrangements.

He was reprimanded and ordered to pay $3100 plus GST toward the cost of the disciplinary action.

Roberts is currently being held in the police jail at police headquarters in Denpasar.

He will be transferred to Kerobokan prison later, when the investigation is complete and where he will await trial in the Denpasar District Court early next year.

Convicted drug traffickers in Bali can face the death penalty. Picture: Lukman Bintoro

Roberts joins a long list of Australians arrested and jailed in Bali on drugs charges in the past decade.

Indonesia enforces stringent and harsh narcotics laws, which land foreigners in jail for lengthy stretches for even small amounts of drugs. In 2015 two Sydney men, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were executed by firing squad for their role in the Bali Nine case, which involved 8.2kg of heroin being shipped from Bali to Australia in 2005.

Their execution came on the orders of Indonesia’s President, Joko Widodo, who has cited a drugs emergency in his nation for the need to execute drug traffickers and to deny clemency and any form of leniency to those arrested with drugs.

Schapelle Corby was sentenced to 20 years jail for attempting to smuggle marijuana into Bali. (Photo by Darren Whiteside-Pool/Getty Images)

Six other members of the Bali Nine remain in Indonesian jails, on life sentences, so far with no hope of release. The other member of the group, Renae Lawrence, was sentenced to 20 years. With remissions, she could be released next year.

Schapelle Corby, sentenced to 20 years, reduced to 15 years, for attempting to smuggle 4.2kg of marijuana to Bali in October 2004, returned home to Australia in May this year after completing her sentence.

Other Australians are also in jail in Bali, sentenced on drugs charges, for periods up to 18 years.

Originally published as Bali drug bust: Australian man allegedly caught with 19.97g of methamphetamine