Medical cannabis claim triggers drug crackdown case in Indonesia
Mataram-Indonesian authorities have arrested a 53-year-old Australian woman on Lombok island after discovering 59 milliliters of cannabis-infused vape liquid that she said was intended for pain relief, exposing her to a possible 20-year prison sentence under the country’s strict narcotic laws.
The woman was detained in May at a rented residence on the tourist island of Lombok after police learned she had received a delivery containing liquid cannabis, narcotics officer I Nyoman Diana Mahardika said on Thursday.
According to police, the suspect told investigators that she used the cannabis vape product to alleviate knee pain and depression. Authorities said the explanation would not exempt her from prosecution under Indonesian law, which prohibits the possession, use and distribution of marijuana and cannabis-derived products.
“She must comply with the laws and regulations in force in our country. As for narcotics such as marijuana, it must not be possessed, used, or traded within our jurisdiction,” Mahardika said.
If convicted, the woman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to two billion rupiah ($111,000), according to police.
The case underscores the legal risks facing foreign nationals in Indonesia, which maintains some of the world’s toughest anti-drug regulations. The country retains the death penalty for drug trafficking offenses, although it has not carried out an execution since 2016.
Indonesia currently has dozens of convicted drug traffickers on death row. The last executions were conducted in 2016, when authorities executed four drug convicts by firing squad, including three Nigerian nationals and one Indonesian citizen.
The arrest follows other recent narcotics prosecutions involving foreign nationals. In March, two British men were sentenced to nine and 11 years in prison after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine to the resort island of Bali.
Authorities did not provide further details regarding the source of the cannabis liquid or indicate when formal charges may be filed.
