Lisa Stocker and Jon Collyer, British citizens serving time in a Bali prison for involvement in a cocaine smuggling scheme, have been released. The couple, along with accomplice Phineas Float, had faced the possibility of execution due to Indonesia’s strict drug laws. However, they were freed just four months into their sentence for a £300,000 cocaine plot.
Their initial one-year sentences were further reduced under special regulations that allow for sentence cuts during Christmas and national holidays. This allowed them to depart Bali on flight QR963 to Doha, connecting to a flight to the UK.
After narrowly avoiding the firing squad, Stocker and Collyer checked in for their homeward journey. They were seen at the priority counter, potentially flying business class with tickets costing over £2,000 each. Their unexpected early release was described as a remarkable Christmas gift, enabling them to possibly be home for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The trio was apprehended attempting to smuggle nearly a kilogram of cocaine disguised in Angel Delight packets into Bali. Despite Indonesia’s stringent drug laws, the judge showed leniency by not imposing the death penalty, considering their cooperation. Stocker and Collyer, arrested in February at Bali’s airport, cooperated with authorities by assisting in the arrest of Float, who was lured to a rendezvous and subsequently detained.
A spokesperson from the FCDO confirmed the return of the three British nationals to the UK. This development follows the recent release of another British drug mule, Lindsay Sandiford, and her compatriot Shahab Shahabadi, who have faced legal issues in Indonesia. Sandiford’s fate upon her return to the UK remains uncertain, as officials indicate she may still serve time. The Foreign Office was questioned about Stocker and Collyer’s repatriation but has not yet commented on the matter.