A Brazilian teenager could be facing the death penalty after she was allegedly found with almost 4kg of cocaine in her luggage as she arrived in Indonesia.
Prosecutors allege Manuela Vitoria de Araujo, 19, was working with a drug syndicate when she was arrested upon her arrival at Bali International Airport, allegedly carrying 3.9kg of cocaine in her luggage on New Year’s Eve.
However, the teen’s lawyers argue she was duped by the criminal cartel, with claims that she was promised surfing lessons by them and that she remained unaware of her illegal cargo.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office announced she was charged with drug trafficking.
Indonesia has a zero tolerance policy for drug crimes — for the most extreme cases, this means the death penalty.
The Brazilian awaits the trial while the defence in her home country tries to gather evidence proving the teen did not know about the presence of drugs in her luggage when she arrived on December 31, 2022.
