French national arrested in Bali for meth, guns possession

DENPASAR, Indonesia: A Frenchman has been arrested on the Indonesian resort island of Bali for alleged possession of illegal drugs and guns, police said on Wednesday (Dec 23).

The 30-year-old French national, identified by his initials RJHB, was arrested on Monday after police received a tip-off that he was involved in drug trafficking.

Police said he resisted arrest, and later found nearly 5g of crystal methamphetamine and three guns - a rifle with a stabiliser, a Makarov pistol and a revolver - at his home.

They also found more than two dozen bullets.

"(These guns) are very prone to misuse, especially because the suspect is a drug user. If he loses control, the guns could be dangerous," Bali police chief Putu Jayan Danu Putra told journalists on Wednesday.

Police said the suspect had lived in Bali for years, spoke fluent Indonesian and worked in the property business.

He has now been charged with possession of illegal drugs and guns, and could face up to 20 years in prison and an 8 billion rupiah (US$560,000) fine if found guilty.

Indonesia has some of the toughest drug laws in the world, including the death penalty for traffickers.

Reached by AFP, the French embassy in Jakarta declined to comment.