Jetstar passengers caught in alleged $2.2m Bali drug bust

Indonesian authorities have arrested three people after stopping an alleged attempt to smuggle $2.2 million worth of cocaine into Bali.

The operation was intercepted on October 3 at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport when security officers scanned the luggage of a Chilean couple.

X-ray checks revealed four plastic bags of cocaine hidden totalling 4.5 kilograms inside false compartments, split between the couple’s carry-ons.

The pair originally departed from Santiago, Chile, transited through Melbourne Airport, and then boarded a connecting Jetstar flight to Denpasar.

Nine.com.au understands that Jetstar is aware is of the arrests and is willing to assist Indonesian law enforcement with any inquiries.

It is understood they did not pass through customs in Melbourne before continuing on to Indonesia.

National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) acting head Senior Commissioner Stevy Frits Pattiasina alleged they were acting as couriers for a wider international drug network.

“The two foreigners claimed to come to Bali for vacation purposes,” Pattiasina told Antara on Friday.

A follow-up operation led officers to a local hotel, where they arrested an Indonesian national, who was allegedly designated to receive the shipment.

Investigators have also named two men and a woman as suspected co-conspirators in the plot, adding that the alleged ringleader remains at large.

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Under questioning, the Indonesian suspect admitted he was acting under direct orders from the overseas orchestrator.

Two local drivers who picked up the Chilean couple at the airport were questioned by investigators and cleared of involvement, remaining named witnesses in the case.

Pattiasina noted that the interception prevented an estimated 22,973 individuals from being exposed to the drugs, saving almost $3 million in potential rehabilitation costs.

BNNP officers added that security coordination across Bali’s entry points will be heightened to stop international cartels from using the island as a transit point.

Nine.com.au has contacted Australian Federal Police for comment.