Drugs Mule Lindsay Sandiford Faces Possible Return to Prison
Yesterday, Lindsay Sandiford, a 69-year-old grandmother, was seen in a wheelchair leaving Kerobokan Prison in Bali. She had been imprisoned for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine from Bangkok. Indonesian officials have indicated that she might face prison again upon returning to Britain after spending 13 years on death row for drug offenses.
Sandiford's departure from the prison occurred shortly after 2pm GMT, accompanied by another British inmate, 35-year-old Shahab Shahabadi, who is serving a life sentence for drug-related crimes. Both were briefly shown to local media before being handed over to British diplomats at the airport for their journey back to the UK.
Statements on Sandiford’s Future in the UK
"In England, she will remain in prison." – I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, Indonesia's deputy minister for immigration and correctional coordination
Britain's Foreign Office has not yet confirmed or denied this statement.
Travel Details
- Sandiford was transported to Denpasar International Airport wearing a face mask and shielding herself from photographers.
- She boarded a Qatar Airways flight bound for London via Doha.
Background
In 2012, Sandiford was publicly displayed at the Denpasar airport in orange prison clothes next to a table covered with seized cocaine.
Summary: Lindsay Sandiford, after 13 years on death row for drug smuggling in Bali, may face immediate imprisonment upon her return to the UK.