DENPASAR, Bali – A Brazilian man linked to a South African international drug network has been arrested in Bali after smuggling over 3 kilograms of cocaine into the island.

The 25-year-old suspect, identified only by his initials YB, was apprehended at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Sunday, July 13, while carrying 3.08 kilograms of suspected cocaine in his luggage.

“Berdasarkan hasil interogasi, YB mengaku membawa barang diduga narkotika jenis kokain tersebut dari Brasil ke Bali atas suruhan bosnya bernama Tio Paulo,” said the Head of the Bali National Narcotics Agency (BNNP), Brigadier General Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat, on Thursday, July 24.

The suspect reportedly told investigators that he was instructed by Tio Paulo—believed to reside in Brazil—to deliver the drugs to an unnamed contact in Bali. However, the recipient remains unidentified, as YB had deleted all communication records from his phone.

Authorities attempted a controlled delivery to catch the intended recipient in Bali, but no one showed up to collect the narcotics.

The case unraveled when customs officers at the Bali airport detected suspicious contents in YB’s suitcase after his long-haul flight from Rio de Janeiro via Dubai to Denpasar.

Further interrogation revealed that YB was promised payment ranging from Rp 25 million to Rp 400 million for acting as a courier.

YB now faces charges under Article 113 paragraph (2) or Article 112 paragraph (2) of Indonesia’s Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or a prison sentence ranging from 5 to 20 years.