An Australian boxing trainer has been deported to Sydney from Bali almost 16 years after he was arrested and convicted of smuggling methamphetamine.
Michael Sacatides, 59, was released by Denpasar Immigration Detention Centre, and flew back to Australia on Friday night.
On October 1, 2010, he was arrested by customs officers at the international terminal of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport after his AirAsia flight from Bangkok landed.
Sacatides had been working as a boxing trainer in Thailand while running a business there.
As officers inspected his suitcase, they discovered about 1.7kg of methamphetamine hidden in a secret compartment.
During a trial at Denpasar District Court, Sacatides denied knowing anything about the illegal drugs and said the bag belonged to an acquaintance he had met in Bangkok.
However, the panel of judges found him guilty and sentenced him to 18 years in prison.
Sacatides was held in several Bali prisons, including Kerobokan, which also housed members of the Bali Nine and Schapelle Corby, who was convicted of smuggling cannabis into Indonesia.
Michael Sacatides, 59, was released by Denpasar Immigration Detention Centre, and flew back to Australia on Friday night
He was arrested by Balinese customs officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport after they found 1.7kg of methamphetamine hidden inside a secret compartment of his suitcase
During his trial, Sacatides denied knowing anything about the illegal drugs and said the bag belonged to an acquaintance he had met in Bangkok. A panel of judges found him guilty
He was later incarcerated at Karangasem, where Bali Nine member Scott Rush was held, then moved to Bangli Narcotics prison.
After more than a decade in prison, Sacatides’ sentence was reduced by a total of 37 months and 30 days and he was granted parole in 2023.
The conditions of his parole meant he could not leave Indonesia and had to remain under the supervision of a correctional centre in Denpasar until August 19 this year.
However, after completing his parole period, he could not be immediately deported because his passport had expired and he was required to remain in temporary detention.
Sacatides was transferred to an Immigration centre in Denpasar on August 24 while Balinese officials coordinated with the Australian consulate general.
After almost two additional weeks in detention, he was released and placed on a flight to Sydney on Friday under the supervision of immigration officers.
‘This case reaffirms that Indonesia does not provide any room for foreign nationals involved in criminal offences, especially narcotics-related offences,’ Denpasar Immigration Detention Centre head Teguh Mentalyadi said.
‘In connection with his case, Sacatides may be subject to a lifetime ban on re-entering Indonesian territory.’
