8,000 Ecstasy Pills 'sent to Briton in Bali'

A Briton holidaying on Bali was yesterday warned he faces the death penalty after police allegedly caught him with more than 8,000 ecstasy pills which had been sent through the post from London.

Steve Turner, 47, was detained at a house in Seminjak village on Thursday after police found three packages containing the 8,175 pills, the police chief, Major General Budi Setyawan said.

"This is the most important arrest for the biggest drug find [ever on Bali]," he said, adding officers were investigating whether Mr Turner was part of a regional syndicate.

According to police the parcels were allegedly sent to Mr Turner by his wife and a friend via the Royal Mail. The British postal service did not detect the drugs. An unnamed Canadian who lived with Mr Turner was also detained but has yet to be charged.

Suspicions were aroused after Mr Turner had not collected two of the parcels 12 days after he was informed of their arrival. The police were alerted and they raided Mr Turner's address where they found the third package.

A Bali police spokesman, said Mr Turner admitted owning the pills. "We do not yet know if they were for his own use or if he planned to sell them. If he did sell them then the value of the pills could be 1.5 to 2bn rupiah [£105,000 to £130,000]."

If charged with drug dealing Mr Turner faces up to 17 years in prison or possibly the death sentence, according to police. "But if he can show they were only for his own use he could escape with a sentence of four to five years," said the spokesman.

Last month an Australian man was sentenced in Bali to 15 years in prison after being caught in possession of 2.7kg of hashish. At least five foreigners are awaiting execution for drug offences.

Police said Mr Turner had yet to ask for legal help and yesterday the British consulate in Indonesia was not aware of his arrest.