British Man Faces Drug Charges In Indonesian Court

An Indonesia court charged British man Julian Ponder with drug smuggling on Thursday, October 4th. The case of the 49 year old father is linked to that of British woman Lindsey Sandiford. In total there are four Britons being held in the case- including Ponder’s wife Rachel Dougall, and Paul Beales. All were arrested in Bali in May over an alleged $2.6 million drug haul. Drug smuggling more than five grams can be punishable by death in Indonesia, but prosecutors said they were only seeking a maximum jail term of 20 years for Ponder. Indonesian police have vowed to crack down on illegal drug smuggling in Bali, which they say has become a hub for international narcotics distribution.