Bali laws explained as British man faces death penalty with execution by firing squad in country after arrest

A lot of people have been left wondering about the ins and outs of the Indonesian legal system following the arrest of a British man in Bali.

Thomas Parker is facing the prospect of being executed by a firing squad after he allegedly picked up a package containing just over a kilo of MDMA.

Cops said they noticed the 32-year-old 'acting suspiciously' while collecting the item from a motorcycle taxi driver on January 21.

He is then alleged to have discarded the package in a panic as officers approached, but despite fleeing, he was reportedly traced back to an Airbnb he was staying in.

Parker was arrested and is now set to be charged with the importation, trafficking, and possession of drugs by authorities in the Indonesian holiday hotspot.

According to General Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat, of the Bali Province National Narcotics Agency, the package he received contained a light brown powder which was later determined to be MDMA.

Talk To Frank describes this class A substance - which is ranked as a Class I narcotic in Indonesia - as a 'recreational drug which is taken as ecstasy pills or as MDMA powder'.

Thomas Parker, 32, could be executed if he's found guilty (ViralPress)

Police in Bali believe that Parker is part of an international drug ring which operates out of Hungary, which is why he was placed under police monitoring after entering the country from Thailand.

"He was ordered by his boss to pick up a package in Bali after flying from Thailand," General Sudrajat said. "The parcel contained MDMA which is illegal and punishable by death."

Parker was paraded in front of a host of cameras and reporters in Bali's capital, Denpasar, where the details of his alleged crimes were revealed.

As officials have warned, the Brit could be sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad if he is found guilty of the offences.

But there is still some hope for Parker, as authorities are attempting to identify the person who sent him the package.

There is also a chance that the 32-year-old could receive a lighter sentence if he cooperates with investigators.

Still, Indonesia takes a notoriously tough approach to drug crimes, and the country doles out heavy penalties for those who supply, possess, and even use drugs.

Indonesian authorities take a notoriously strict approach to drugs (ViralPress)

People caught with less than five grams of MDMA on them can find themselves being locked up from anywhere between five and 15 years.

If you've got more than that, prosecutors can seek the death penalty as punishment.

The UK government's website explains that Indonesian authorities have a 'zero-tolerance policy' when it comes to drugs.

"Those caught face lengthy prison sentences or a death penalty, usually after a protracted and expensive legal process," it warns. "British nationals have been caught and given prison sentences for drug offences in Indonesia.

"Police often raid venues (particularly in Bali) known to be frequented by foreigners. You may have to take a urine or blood test if there is a reasonable suspicion that drugs have been used.

"Criminal gangs in the UK and elsewhere are known to coerce people into carrying drugs across borders. Do not allow yourself to be persuaded."

It's hardly light reading material, but before heading off on holiday to Indonesia, researching the laws in the country - and every other nation you travel to for that matter - should be a part of your pre-trip checklist.

British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford, 68, has spent the last 12 years or so behind bars in Bali on death row at Kerobokan Prison.

She was found guilty of smuggling £1.6 million of cocaine into Bali from Bangkok.

There have been no executions in Indonesia since 2016 - and the last 19 people to receive the ultimate punishment had each been sentenced for drug trafficking.