New Zealand Man Facing Death Penalty in Bali

Anthony Glen de Malmanche, 52, has been charged with trying to smuggle 1.7kg of methamphetamine after he flew into Bali. The New Zealand embassy in Jakarta is trying to speak to a New Zealander arrested for allegedly smuggling 1.7kg of methamphetamine into Bali.

Anthony Glen de Malmanche, 52, is facing the death penalty after he flew into Bali from Hong Kong with a suspicious package.

The NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says its embassy in Jakarta has contacted Bali police for an update and to speak with de Malmanche directly. His cousin Jim says he travelled to Hong Kong to see a woman he’d met online and may have been led astray by the prospect of love, Radio Live reported.

“He was looking for a nice lady and he thought he had found one online and look what happened.”

De Malmanche told police his bride-to-be would also be coming to Bali where they planned to marry, airport’s head of customs office Budi Harjanto told reporters in Bali on Friday. “Whether it’s true or not, we don’t know. Maybe it’s just a lie, especially when we waited for four days, the woman is not coming.”

De Malmanche was acting suspiciously when taking his luggage on Monday morning.

An x-ray identified an object in his backpack, which turned out to be a package with clear plastic wrapping, wrapped in duct tape, containing 1709 grams of crystal methamphetamine. De Malmanche is facing drugs charges which carry maximum penalties of death and a 1b rupiah ($NZ104,400) fine. (The Guardian).