Qld: Bali drug runner jailed for seven years

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2007
Qld: Bali drug runner jailed for seven years

By Christine Flatley

BRISBANE, Dec 12 AAP - A young man who accompanied members of the Bali Nine on an aborted
drug run to Asia has been jailed for seven years.

Khanh Thanh Ly, 27, pleaded guilty today in the Brisbane Supreme Court to conspiring
to import heroin into Australia just months before nine Australians were arrested in Bali
in April 2005.

Six of the Bali Nine now face death by firing squad for their role in the foiled plan
to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin from Indonesia to Australia.

The court was today told Ly travelled to Bali on two separate occasions between August
and December 2004.

On the first trip, Bali Nine ringleader and former schoolmate Myuran Sukumaran taught
Ly how to organise couriers who would bring heroin back into the country by strapping
it to their bodies.

On the second trip to Asia, Ly took a more senior role organising money and mobile
phones for couriers, giving them directions and reporting back daily to Sukumaran.

He also used flour to make up dummy bags of drugs so he could practice strapping them
to the couriers' bodies.

The planned importation on that trip, however, was aborted when the price of heroin
was increased following police interception of a drug haul in Bali.

The court was told on another occasion Ly also taxied couriers, who had just returned
to Australia with another Bali Nine ringleader Andrew Chan, from the airport to hotels
where they would unstrap packages of drugs from their bodies.

Ly then assisted with the unpacking of the drugs, for which he was paid $5,000.

The court was told Ly's involvement with the drug ring increased in the lead-up to
his second trip to Bali, but that he eventually decided it was not a lifestyle he wished
to pursue.

When Ly returned to Australia after the second trip in December 2004 he told Sukumaran
he did not want to be involved in any more drug runs.

The court was told he also advised couriers they should quit the business.

Just four months later the Bali Nine were arrested while trying to import heroin into Australia.

The court was today told Ly was "extremely remorseful" and that he had caused his family
- who were in court to support him - great shame.

Justice Debbie Mullins sentenced Ly to seven years jail with a non-parole period of four years.

Several other people alleged to have been involved with the drug ring will face court next year.

AAP cf/lc/cjh/sp

KEYWORD: LY NIGHTLEAD

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