Brazil woman Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias fighting firing squad death in Bali after cocaine find
Indonesian authorities have demanded that a Brazilian teenager arrested for alleged drug smuggling into Bali be placed in front of a firing squad as a warning to all tourists visiting the resort island.
Brazilian Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias, 19, claims she was tricked by a gang after three kilograms of cocaine were reportedly found in her luggage when she arrived in January.
Ms Farias flew from Brazil to Bali via Qatar, but the drugs were not discovered until she landed in Bali.
She has since been imprisoned on charges of international drug trafficking.
Global news agency Newsflash reported that prosecutors last week demanded the maximum sentence – either death by firing squad or life in prison.
Brazilian Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias, 19, claims she was tricked by a gang after three kilograms of cocaine was reportedly found in her luggage when she arrived in Bali in January
She has since been imprisoned on charges of international drug trafficking
Prosecutors allege she collaborated with a drug gang to smuggle the cocaine into Bali.
But lawyer, Davi Lira da Silva, said Ms Farias was only in Bali to visit temples where monks pray for the sick, as her mother recently suffered a stroke.
Her lawyers said she started seeking Buddhist prayers for healing.
Mr da Silva claimed the teen was tricked into cooperating after the gang who hired her told her about the temples to gain her trust.
“They said she could pray in the temples to ask for her mother’s healing,” he said.
Her lawyer also claimed that her client sold lingerie and perfume for a living, but was tricked by people she trusted.
They also claimed that the gang had promised to pay for the young woman’s surfing lessons once she arrived in the country.
If Ms. Farias manages to escape the firing squad, she still faces life imprisonment in Indonesia.
Her bleak fate serves as a warning to tourists visiting the holiday paradise.
Global news agency Newsflash reported that prosecutors demanded the maximum sentence last week
Ms Farias flew from Brazil to Bali via Qatar, but the drugs were not discovered until she landed in Bali
Thousands of Australians have flocked to Bali since the holiday island’s international borders reopened for the first time in two years in March 2022.
About 1.23 million Australians visited Bali in 2019 before international borders were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Australian government website Smart Traveler, the death penalty exists for many crimes in Indonesia, including drug smuggling.
Possession of drugs and prohibited activities such as smoking in public places and gambling can also lead to imprisonment.
Penalties for drug offenses include large fines, long prison terms and the death penalty. The police are targeting tourist destinations,” the website reads.
“You can face heavy fines or jail time for possession of even small amounts of drugs, including marijuana.”
Cannabis-based products such as cannabis oil, hemp, CBD, THC, hash and edibles are also prohibited in Indonesia, including for medicinal purposes.
Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias could face the death penalty if convicted of drug smuggling
Aussie travelers flocking to the Indonesian island have been warned to read up on what to do and what not to do in Bali (stock image of travellers)
“A medical prescription does not make it legal. If you bring such products into Indonesia or buy or use them in Indonesia, you could be arrested and face imprisonment, fines, deportation or the death penalty,” warns Smart Traveler.
“Police are targeting illegal drug use and possession across Indonesia. The police often target popular places and locations in Bali and Jakarta.’
Travelers are also warned to check with a doctor or the Indonesian embassy before taking prescription drugs, including sleeping pills, into the country, as many psychotropic drugs and painkillers are banned and can be confiscated upon arrival.
“Make sure you have a prescription that covers the amount of medication you are taking with you,” the authorities warn.
Smoking is banned in many public areas in Bali and can result in imprisonment and a fine.
Convicted Bali Nine leaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in Indonesia in 2015
The sentencing of Australian Schapelle Corby was televised worldwide in 2005
Gambling is also illegal in Indonesia and can lead to a stay behind bars.
Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in Indonesia in 2015 as the convicted leaders of the so-called Bali Nine drug smugglers.
The nine Australians were arrested in 2005 when they tried to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin into Australia on a flight from Bali airport.
Of the remaining seven, only one, Renae Lawrence, has been released from prison, while another, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died of cancer in prison.
In October 2004, Australian Schapelle Corby became a household name when the then 27-year-old beauty student was arrested at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport with 4.2kg of marijuana in her boogieboard bag, a crime she has always denied.
She returned to Australia in May 2017.