First ‘Bali Nine’ Drug Smuggler Released From Jail
An Australian woman has become the first member of the “Bali Nine” drug smuggling ring to be released from jail in Indonesia.
The high-profile case began in 2005 when Indonesia caught nine Australians trying to smuggle heroin out of Bali.
Renae Lawrence, 41, was freed on Wednesday after spending almost 13 years in prison. She may be the only Bali Nine member ever to be released.
The two ringleaders were executed in 2015, sparking a row with Australia.
Lawrence’s initial life sentence was cut to 20 years on appeal, then later reduced further in small increments.
She left Bali’s Bangli prison to a media throng and was taken to an airport to board a plane to Australia.
She arrived in Brisbane yesterday to another press pack, lightly pushing one journalist in her path. She did not give a statement.
Lawrence faces the possibility of prosecution in Australia over an alleged high-speed car chase in New South Wales in early 2005. However, Police have not yet acted on two outstanding arrest warrants.
Who are the Bali Nine?
Lawrence was arrested at Bali’s Denpasar Airport in 2005 with 2.7kg of drugs strapped to her body. Eight Australian men were also apprehended over the plot to smuggle a total of 8.3kg of heroin into their home nation. Under Indonesia’s tough drug laws, ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were given death sentences on conviction in 2006.