‘Bali Nine’ drug smugglers return to Australia after 20 years

CANBERRA: The remaining five Australian members of the "Bali Nine" heroin-trafficking group have returned to Australia after serving nearly two decades in Indonesian prisons, following a deal between Canberra and Jakarta, according to a report by CNN. The Bali Nine were arrested in 2005 by Indonesian police.

In a post on X, Albanese wrote, "I am pleased to confirm that Australian citizens Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, and Martin Stephens have returned to Australia this afternoon. I thank President Prabowo Subianto for his compassion."

In a separate joint statement with Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, "The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia," CNN reported.

In a post on X, Wong wrote, "Australia is grateful to Indonesia and President Prabowo for the return of the five men on humanitarian grounds."

Notably, the five persons who were serving life sentences were part of a group of nine individuals arrested in 2005 for attempting to smuggle over eight kilograms (17.6 pounds) of heroin from Bali to Australia. (ANI)

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