Police Raid Home Of Californian Living In Bali After Suspicious Parcel Delivery

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The Denpasar Narcotics Unit raided a home of a foreigner in Bali late last week after a suspicious package was delivered to the address. Police secured seven bottles of ‘suspected marijuana-containing liquids’ from the house, where Californian JPC has been living. 

The Californian in question, JPC, is being referred to by local media only by his initials. He is believed to be 47 years old and operating a business in Bali. The raid was carried out on the villa after Denpasar Customs were suspicious of a parcel sent from Thailand, that featured a delivery address with no recipient name, only the sender’s name. 

Police officers tracked the package via courier to the address. A spokesperson for the Bali Police told local newspapers on Monday 1st August ‘The the package was received by a person named Kadek Juran Adi Wiguna on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at around 12.40 WITA’. Police immediately moved in to interrogate Wiguna. He told police that the package was sent to Bali for his boss. 

Police tracked down JPC, Wiguna’s boss, and called him in for questioning. He told police during the interrogation that the package was sent by his wife’s family in Thailand. The package was initially opened by locals who observed the opening of the unnamed parcel to be witnesses. The contents included t-shirts, snacks, cooking spices, and a bottle of Happy Mate Raw Organic Forest Honey. 

The police conducted a search of the property and found seven bottles of the ‘suspected marijuana-containing liquids’. As an investigation is underway it is currently unconfirmed as to whether the police believe the bottles were sent in the parcel, or whether the bottles were found during a search of the premises because of the unnamed parcel.

The police are yet to give more detailed descriptions of the ‘suspected marijuana-containing liquids’. It is thought the bottles could be marijuana-flavored vape refills. There’s a possibility that the bottles don’t contain any narcotic substances or they could contain CBD or THC. Either way, Indonesia has incredibly strict laws on drugs, drug paraphernalia, and drug imagery. 

The Head of Public Relations of the Denpasar Police, Iptu I Ketut Sukadi, was approached for comment on the case. He said did not want to comment on the arrest of an American in Bali saying “I don’t have the data yet. I’ll check first’. 

Whereas some countries are moving to decriminalize, or even legalize marijuana, Indonesia remains firm and resolute that the strict drug laws will not change. The National Narcotics Agency (BBN) launched a Smash on Drugs campaign in June.

The Head of the BNN BNN General Petrus Reinhard Golose said at the time ‘We stated together from Bali that we have zero tolerance for narcotics. In Indonesia there is no discussion of legalizing marijuana, there may be countries that have legalized it but there are still many countries that do not legalize it…So I reiterate once again, that I remain consistent in not legalizing marijuana’. A statement that he reiterates regularly, whenever any drug-related crimes hit headlines. 

General Golose has described Bali as the Island of the Gods and has zero tolerance for drug abuse. Last month a Brazilian student was arrested at Bali Airport after being caught with 2.8 grams of marijuana stashed away in his bag. 

The student, named Alberto Sampaio Gressler, 25, traveled to Bali from Kuala Lumpur. Though it is believed he purchased the drugs in Thailand where marijuana has recently been legalized for recreational use. He was arrested and charged with Article 113 and Article 111 of the Indonesian Law regarding narcotics possession and use. He now faces a minimum of 4-years in prison. 

If testing confirms that the ‘suspected marijuana-containing liquids’ in JPC’s home confirm the presence of narcotic substances the American could be facing similar charges to Gressler.