British national in court over 1.4kg Bali cocaine haul

 A 52-year-old British national appeared before the Denpasar District Court on Thursday (April 23) to face serious drug trafficking charges following the seizure of more than 1.4 kilograms of cocaine in a Legian hotel.

During the initial hearing at the Denpasar District Court on Thursday (April 23), Public Prosecutor Finna Wulandari detailed that the defendant, identified as Baath Jarnail Singh (52) or BJS, was apprehended on February 14, 2026.

Authorities seized a total of 1,419.79 grams of a white solid substance confirmed to be cocaine from the defendant's hotel room. 

Other evidence presented in court included electronic scales, a gray suitcase with a security lock, and multiple mobile devices.

Prosecutors have leveled multiple charges against Singh under Indonesia’s stringent narcotics laws. He is primarily charged under Article 114 of Law No. 35/2009, which targets the distribution of Class I narcotics.

"The defendant is accused of offering, selling, buying, brokering, exchanging, delivering, or receiving Class I narcotics in a non-plant form weighing more than 5 grams," Wulandari told the court.

Under Indonesian law, the scale of the seizure carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty, alongside a fine of up to Rp10 billion (around US$578,000). 

The trial, presided over by Chief Judge Ketut Somanasa, was marked by several disruptions from the defendant. 

Singh reportedly protested against media coverage of the proceedings and formally requested a closed-door trial, which is rarely granted in such cases.

Additionally, he dismissed his former legal counsel, requesting new representation for the remainder of the trial. 

His new defense team stated they intend to file a formal exception (legal challenge) to the charges during the next hearing.

The case dates back to a targeted sting operation by the Denpasar Police Narcotics Investigation Unit.

Denpasar Police Chief, Senior Commissioner Leonardo David Simatupang, previously explained that officers acted on a tip-off regarding a drug transaction on Jalan Lebak Bene.

During the investigation, police became suspicious of the suspect's movements in front of the hotel where he was staying, Simatupang said. 

While an initial body search yielded no evidence, a subsequent raid of his hotel room uncovered the cocaine stashed inside a suitcase hidden in a wardrobe.