A British man, Thomas Parker (32), has been arrested in Bali, Indonesia, after allegedly receiving a package containing 1 kilogram of MDMA (ecstasy). If found guilty, he faces the death penalty by firing squad under Indonesia’s strict drug laws.
Thomas Parker, originally from Seaton, Cumbria, was detained by Bali’s National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) on January 21, 2025, after receiving a package delivered by an online motorcycle taxi driver in Kerobokan, North Kuta, Bali.
According to Brigadier General Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat, head of BNNP Bali, officers had been monitoring Parker for some time before the arrest. The moment they approached him, Parker panicked and tried to discard the package before attempting to flee.
“The British citizen was carrying hashish. The weight is more than 1.4 kilograms (kg),” said Rudy, as reported by Detiknews on March 6, 2025.
Despite his efforts to escape, Parker was quickly caught and taken into BNNP custody for further investigation.
International Drug Network and Other Arrests
Authorities believe Parker is linked to an international drug trafficking network operating from Hungary and allegedly controlled by a foreigner in Thailand.
“Information from the person concerned (Thomas), he just landed from Thailand. Then Thomas was ordered to pick up the package sent using the delivery service. From there (allegedly) there must be someone controlling,” said Rudy.
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Alongside Parker, three other foreign nationals were arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali between January 18 and 31, 2025 for attempting to smuggle drugs into the country:
- AZ (Russia) – Methamphetamine
- MI (Ukraine) – Marijuana
- Ami Nur Nasuha (Malaysia) – Various narcotics
A Quiet British Village in Shock
The British man, Parker, an electrician who previously trained at Lakes College in Lillyhall, had been living in Australia before travelling to Southeast Asia. His hometown of Seaton in Cumbria has been left in shock following his arrest.
A local resident commented:
“Seaton is a lovely little village and the Parkers are decent people. I am not sure what has gone on with Thomas. I just feel sorry for the family because they don’t deserve this. What a nightmare.”
His family has remained tight-lipped about the situation, with one relative telling the MailOnline that they “had nothing to say” about Parker’s arrest.
There was no response at the Parker family home, a detached house in the quiet Cumbrian village, as reporters attempted to reach them for comment.
Now, Parker faces Indonesia’s harshest punishment—execution by firing squad—if convicted of drug trafficking, a charge that carries the death penalty in the country’s legal system.
cover: source (Kompas)
