An Australian man has been arrested after a suspicious looking bag fell out of his pocket in front of Bali police after a night of partying.
Officers stopped Philip James Nelson, 33, on Wednesday at 6pm local time for driving a scooter without a helmet in North Kuta, a popular tourist spot in the Badung region.
Footage has shown the moment a small plastic bag with something white inside fell on the road as Nelson was told to raise his hands by police.
The officers’ demeanour changed when they spotted the bag and one appeared to lock Nelson’s head under his arm in Radar Bali’s video, which was published on Friday.
Fours officers then crowded around the Australian to detain him as he can be heard saying: ‘It’s Panadol.’
An officer shakes his head and can be heard saying ‘cocaine’.
But Nelson responded: ‘Test it, it’s Panadol.’
The officer picked up the bag of alleged cocaine from the road after taking another bag out of Nelson’s hands.
An Australian staying in Bali, Philip James Nelson (pictured) was halted by Bali police while driving a scooter without a helmet
Nelson then appeared to recognise one officer who he spoke to briefly before he was led away.
A young woman, who has not been identified but is believed to be a foreign national and Nelson’s girlfriend, was also detained by police.
If found guilty, Nelson could face a maximum 12 years prison term.
Head of Badung Police’s narcotics unit Nyoman Sudarma confirmed officers stopped the pair while they were riding an Nmax motorbike in the seaside village of Perenan.
Officers then carried out a routine body and clothing search of Nelson.
‘(Police) found, in Mr Nelson’s left hand – previously removed from the left pocket of his pants – two plastic clip packages containing a white powder suspected to be cocaine,’ Sudarma said.
Bali officers allege he was caught with 0.85g of cocaine and 0.53g of MDMA.
Nelson is understood to be staying at a villa in the village and, an hour after his arrest, narcotics officers searched the property but found nothing related to drugs.
A small bag of suspected cocaine fell from Nelson’s pocket during a search by Bali police officers, leading to the arrest of the Australian and a young woman
Nelson could face up to 12 years behind bars if he is found guilty of possessing cocaine
Mr Sudarma has alleged the Australian admitted he obtained the suspected drugs at a party and was planning to use the cocaine himself at the villa he is staying in.
He also alleged that Nelson admitted he did not have ‘authorisation’ from authorities to possess the suspected cocaine.
Both Nelson and the woman were taken to Badung Police Station for further investigation.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Daily Mail Australia they werre aware that an Australian had been detained in Bali.
‘We are in contact with local authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance, to any Australian citizen, should they request it,’ they said.
He is the third Australian man to be arrested in as many weeks on suspicion of drug-related offending.
On May 29, Queensland man Puridas Robinson, 40, was detained after police allegedly found a stash of marijuana at his West Denpasar villa.
Like MDMA and cocaine, marijuana is a Class 1 drug in Indonesia.
It follows the arrest of fellow Aussie Puridas Robinson (right) who was detained after police were allegedly tipped off by Indian national Harsh Vardhan Nowlakha (left)
His arrest comes after the arrest of Harsh Vardhan Nowlakha at Bali Airport in May when Nowlakha arrived from Los Angeles allegedly carrying 600g of marijuana.
Nowlakha allegedly told investigators that he brought the drugs for Robinson and police followed him to Robinson’s address where they searched the property.
Robinson denied that he ordered the drugs.
The head of the drugs eradication unit at Bali Branch National Narcotic Agency, Senior Commander Made Sinar Subawa, told Daily Mail Australia Robinson would not be charged with trafficking.
Instead, he may be charged with drug possession which carries a maximum 12 year prison term.
It followed the arrest of fellow Aussie Lamar Ahchee, 43, on May 22 after allegedly smuggling 1.8kg of cocaine from the UK while living in Bali.
Ahchee has not yet been charged by officials but could face a potential death sentence if convicted of smuggling the cocaine worth an estimated $1.1million.
Following his arrest, Ahchee’s family descended on the island where his sister Stephanie issued a message of thanks to Balinese officials.
‘Our family wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to the Indonesian authorities for their professionalism and impartiality in handling Lamar’s case,’ she said.
Aussie Lamar Ahchee (pictured) has yet to be charged but was arrested in Bali in May after he was accused of smuggling 1.8kg of cocaine from the UK
‘We are grateful for the fair and respectful treatment he has received from law enforcement and legal officials throughout this process.’
Ahchee’s lawyer Edward Pangkahila told reporters his client firmly denied dealing drugs, but conceded he was a ‘drug addict’.
‘Lamar has been set up by someone called “Boss”,’ Mr Pangkahila said, referencing a stranger in England who allegedly sent the Lindt boxes.
‘He was told to collect the package, but he actually didn’t know what the package was. He thought it was a normal package.’
