Bali, Indonesia – A 32-year-old British man has gone on trial in Bali, accused of smuggling over one kilogram of MDMA onto the island, a charge that could carry the death penalty under Indonesia’s strict narcotics laws.
Thomas Parker, an electrician from the village of Seaton in Cumbria, appeared in court on Wednesday wearing a white shirt and red waistcoat. Prosecutors allege he attempted to traffic the Class A drug after authorities intercepted a suspicious package addressed to him.
According to officials, Parker was arrested on January 21 at a rented Airbnb in southern Bali. Authorities claim he was seen behaving suspiciously while accepting a delivery from a motorcycle taxi driver. Upon being approached by narcotics officers, Parker allegedly panicked, discarded the parcel, and fled the scene. He was later apprehended at the 7 Seas Villas in North Kuta.
Inside the package, police reportedly found over one kilogram of MDMA and two mobile phones.
General Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat of the Bali Province National Narcotics Agency stated that Parker is believed to be connected to an international drug trafficking network operating out of Hungary. “He was instructed by his superior to collect the package after arriving in Bali from Thailand,” Sudrajat said. “The contents included MDMA, which is illegal in Indonesia and punishable by death.”
In court, Parker denied ordering the package, claiming it had been sent by a friend he identified only as “Nicky,” a drug dealer he had known for two years. He admitted to having suspicions about the package’s contents, given his friend’s history, but stated he was told it would be safe to collect.
Parker testified that he initially refused to retrieve the parcel but eventually agreed. “Nicky didn’t say what was in it, but I knew his background. I should’ve said no,” he told the court.
Indonesia classifies MDMA — the active compound in ecstasy — as a Class I narcotic. While possession of small amounts can lead to 5 to 15 years in prison, trafficking large quantities like the amount in Parker’s case can result in life imprisonment or execution by firing squad.
Although Indonesia has long upheld a zero-tolerance drug policy, recent shifts in public sentiment and international advocacy have prompted limited discussions around reform. Still, the country remains one of the harshest jurisdictions in the world for drug-related crimes.
Parker’s next hearing is scheduled for May 20.
