Australia says ‘Bali Nine’ drug traffickers have returned home

The five remaining members of the infamous “Bali Nine” drug trafficking ring have returned home after serving nearly 20 years in Indonesian prisons.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the return of Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen and Michael Czugaj in a statement on Sunday. He said he was “pleased to confirm” that they “have returned to Australia”.

He thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto “for his compassion.”

The high-profile case began in 2005, when Indonesia caught nine young Australians trying to smuggle 8.3kg (18lb) of heroin from Bali strapped to their bodies.

The eight men and one woman were arrested at an airport and hotel in Bali after a tip from Australian police.

The case made headlines around the world when two of the gang’s leaders, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed by firing squad in 2015 – sparking a diplomatic row between neighbors Indonesia and Australia.

After the executions, Australia remembered his ambassador to Indonesia, although returned to Jakarta five weeks later.

Other members of the Bali Nine were sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.

The case highlighted Indonesia’s strict anti-drug laws, some of the strictest in the world.

One of the nine, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died of cancer in prison in 2018. Shortly after, Renae Lawrence, then 41, the only woman in the group, had her sentence commuted after spending almost 13 years in prison and returned to Australia the same year.

Without media present, the five took a flight Sunday from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to Darwin, northern Australia, on Australian airline Jetstar, Indonesian Justice Minister Yusril told The Associated Press. Ihza Mahendra.

Mahendra said they were transferred as “prisoners” and “once repatriated” they came under the jurisdiction of the Australian government. The Indonesian president had not granted them clemency.

“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia,” the Australian government said.

He expressed his “deep gratitude” to Indonesia for allowing them to return to their homes on humanitarian grounds.

Australian broadcaster ABC reported that men are effectively free to live unhindered in Australian society.

The Albanian government previously negotiated the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from Britain, journalist Cheng Lei from China, and economist Sean Turnell from a Myanmar prison.

Albanese acknowledged that the men had committed serious crimes, but said it was time for them to return home after serving 19 years in Indonesian prisons.