A significant drug bust in Bali has culminated in a lengthy prison sentence for a foreign national. Authorities intercepted 1.7 kilograms of cocaine, meticulously packaged in 206 clip bags, alongside a digital scale and a mobile phone, leading to the arrest.

The operation was the result of a thorough investigation by Bali’s police anti-drug surveillance unit. Their suspicions were piqued when the man received two dubious packages from England, suggesting possible involvement in the importation or distribution of narcotics, as per Indonesian law enforcement reports.

In a courtroom presided over by Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima, a verdict was delivered that exceeded prosecutorial expectations. The individual, who had already been under scrutiny, was handed a 12-year prison sentence and ordered to pay a hefty fine of 2 billion rupiah, approximately $181,000.

This sentence was notably more severe than what the prosecution had initially sought, which was a nine-year term. Throughout the trial, the accused, Ahchee, maintained that he was unaware the package contained cocaine.

During the hearing, Ahchee denied that he knew the package he received was cocaine.

The judges considered several factors that aggravated the sentence, including the fact that Ahchee had received a large amount of cocaine, which could harm many people and damage the quality and safety of tourism in Bali, Pastima said.

The judge also said that the defendant was evasive and tried to obscure the facts.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug-smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population.

About 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections’ data showed.

Indonesia’s last executions, of an Indonesian and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016.