British Man Faces Death Penalty in Bali Over Alleged MDMA

A British man is facing the death penalty in Bali after authorities claim he attempted to smuggle over a kilogram of MDMA into Indonesia.

Thomas Parker, 32, was arrested in January after police allegedly discovered 1.055kg of the Class A drug in his possession. Under Indonesia’s strict drug laws, he could be sentenced to execution by firing squad if found guilty.

A British tourist is facing the death penalty for allegedly dealing a kilo of ecstasy in Bali. Thomas Parker, 32, (PICTURED, BEARD AND SHAVEN HEAD) was already being monitored by police when he flew into Indonesia from Thailand. Sleuths believed he was part of an international drug ring based in Hungary and began tracking him. The Brit allegedly acted suspiciously while receiving a package of MDMA being delivered by a motorcycle courier on January 21. He is said to have panicked and tried to throw away the package before being arrested outside his holiday villa. Brigadier General Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat, from the Bali Province National Narcotics Agency, said they opened the mail package and found light-brown powder inside. It was later found to be MDMA, the main component of ecstasy. PACKAGE: Video, pictures, text — Thomas Parker, 32, has been accused of being a part of an international drug ring (Picture: ViralPress)

Parker made his first public appearance since his arrest on Thursday. Wearing an orange jumpsuit, handcuffed, and shaven-headed, he paraded before the media in Denpasar.

Arrest and Investigation

Authorities claim Parker was acting suspiciously when he collected a parcel from a man on a motorbike on January 21. As police approached, he allegedly panicked, discarded the package, and fled the scene.

Inside the package, officers reportedly found a light-brown powder, later confirmed to be MDMA. Investigators traced Parker to his villa in North Kuta, where he was taken into custody.

Since his arrest, Parker has remained in detention and is now facing charges of drug importation, trafficking, and possession. If convicted, he could receive Indonesia’s harshest punishment—the death penalty.

Links to an International Drug Syndicate

Authorities are now questioning Parker about identifying the sender of the package. According to Brigadier General Rudy, Parker is allegedly connected to an international drug syndicate operating out of Hungary.

“His boss ordered him to collect the package in Bali after arriving from Thailand,” General Rudy stated. “The parcel contained MDMA, which is illegal and punishable by death under Indonesian law.”

A British tourist is facing the death penalty for allegedly dealing a kilo of ecstasy in Bali. Thomas Parker, 32, was already being monitored by police when he flew into Indonesia from Thailand. Sleuths believed he was part of an international drug ring based in Hungary and began tracking him. The Brit allegedly acted suspiciously while receiving a package of MDMA being delivered by a motorcycle courier on January 21. He is said to have panicked and tried to throw away the package before being arrested outside his holiday villa. Brigadier General Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat, from the Bali Province National Narcotics Agency, said they opened the mail package and found light-brown powder inside. It was later found to be MDMA, the main component of ecstasy. PACKAGE: Video, pictures, text — A light-brown powder identified as MDMA was found inside (Picture: ViralPress)

Indonesia’s Tolerance Drug Policy

Indonesia has a zero-tolerance drug policy, with severe punishments for drug smuggling and trafficking. In December 2024, five members of the notorious Bali Nine—who were convicted of attempting to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin out of Indonesia in 2005—were released and deported to Australia after serving long prison sentences.

Parker was paraded in front of the press (Picture: Daily Mail Australia)

Last month, three British nationals were arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine into Bali. Additionally, in 2023, authorities detained nine tourists following a police raid on a suspected drug-fueled party disguised as a Christmas and New Year celebration.

Parker’s snow lies in the hands of Indonesian prosecutors preparing to take the case to trial.