A man from the UK is potentially facing capital punishment in Bali following the discovery of approximately 3 pounds of cocaine in his lodging. Identified as Baath Jarnail Singh, aged 53, he was apprehended by Indonesian authorities on February 14 at The Legian Mas Beach Inn. Singh stands accused of importing the illicit substance, categorized as class A drugs, into Bali last December. The cocaine was allegedly converted into paste form by Singh, which was then distributed and sold.
Law enforcement in Denpasar disclosed that around 1.41 kilograms of cocaine, packaged in five large bundles, were located within a suitcase concealed in Singh’s hotel room wardrobe. Police Chief Leonardo Simatupang stated, “During questioning, he acknowledged his arrival in Bali on December 20, 2025.”
“Subsequently, on December 26, he met with two individuals at the NAM Hotel, where he received a shopping bag containing cocaine and two weighing scales,” Simatupang added. “The two individuals instructed Singh to hold onto the cocaine and assured him that it would be picked up.”
Reportedly enticed by the promise of substantial compensation, Singh, captured in a photo trailing another suspect, was tempted to engage in illegal drug transportation activities on the island. Authorities suspect that Singh was provided with 10 million IDR, equivalent to about £440, by his superior for “operational expenses,” which he utilized to switch between hotels.
“Singh stashed the cocaine inside a suitcase and stored it in a closet,” mentioned Mr. Simatupang. “He processed the cocaine for consumption by mixing it with soda and heating it until it solidified into a paste that was then retrieved by others.”
“He was assured a reward of HKD 50,000 (£4,730), and he claimed to have received HKD 2,000 (£190) on ten occasions,” Simatupang stated.
Singh, born in Hong Kong and possessing a British passport, was detained while in possession of illegal drugs. His arrest coincides with the detention of two other British nationals by Bali’s Narcotic Agency, facing the death penalty for attempting to smuggle approximately £300,000 worth of cocaine.
Kial Robinson, aged 29, and Piran Ezra Wilkinson, aged 48, were allegedly apprehended while trying to transport 2.8 pounds of cocaine into Indonesia on September 3 of the previous year. Both individuals are at risk of capital punishment if proven guilty of the charges.
Indonesia enforces stringent laws against drug trafficking, with the offense carrying a potential death sentence. In Bali, possession of more than five grams of narcotics automatically triggers legal presumptions of trafficking under Indonesian law, often resulting in harsher penalties for offenders.
