Kazakh man on trial in Denpasar over alleged 2.5kg Bali cocaine courier case
A 25-year-old Kazakh man, Yuriy Khalilov, is standing trial in Denpasar District Court, accused of carrying 2,544.10 grams of cocaine through Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport after allegedly being recruited via Telegram by a fugitive named Igor.
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 3 min read
Denpasar, Bali — A 25-year-old man from Kazakhstan, Yuriy Khalilov, has gone on trial at Denpasar District Court over allegations he tried to bring more than 2.5 kilograms of cocaine into Bali in April, according to multiple Indonesian media reports.
Reports from the courtroom state that prosecutors allege Khalilov carried a suitcase containing cocaine with a net weight of 2,544.10 grams through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport’s international arrivals area on 10 April 2026.
According to the indictment described by prosecutor I Made Dipa Umbara, customs officers became suspicious during routine X-ray screening of a green suitcase bearing Khalilov’s name. An inspection reportedly uncovered an aluminium-foil package concealed in the rear wall of the luggage containing eight clear plastic bags filled with white powder.
Alleged Telegram recruitment
Media reports citing the indictment say Khalilov told investigators he was acting as a courier for a man identified as Igor, who is now on a police wanted list (DPO). Police and prosecutors say Igor is believed to be based in Poland or Russia and first contacted Khalilov via the Telegram messaging application in February 2026.
According to these accounts, Igor allegedly offered Khalilov a payment of about US$1,000, along with airline tickets and accommodation in the Canggu area, in exchange for transporting the suitcase to Bali. Investigators say the two men met in Warsaw on 9 April 2026, where Igor handed over a green Boreja-branded suitcase that Khalilov then checked in under his own name.
Police statements reported by local outlets indicate that laboratory tests on the seized powder confirmed it was a Category I narcotic, specifically cocaine listed under Indonesia’s narcotics law. The total net weight of the eight packages was recorded as 2,544.10 grams, or just over 2.5 kilograms.
Arrest at Ngurah Rai and court proceedings
Customs and police officials told the press that Khalilov was detained on the evening of 10 April 2026 after the suspicious suitcase was pulled aside in the customs inspection area at Ngurah Rai airport. Following the discovery of the concealed packages, he was handed over to narcotics investigators for further questioning.
Several outlets report that Khalilov’s case was brought before a panel at Denpasar District Court chaired by judge Wayan Suarta, with prosecutor I Made Dipa Umbara reading the indictment at a hearing on Thursday, 17 September 2026.
Serious narcotics charges
According to detailed coverage of the indictment, prosecutors have filed two alternative charges under Indonesia’s revised Criminal Code. The first alleges that Khalilov unlawfully possessed, stored, controlled or provided more than five grams of non-plant Category I narcotics, citing Article 609(2)(a) of Law No. 1 of 2023 as adjusted by Law No. 1 of 2026.
The second charge accuses him of unlawfully producing, importing, exporting or distributing more than five grams of Category I narcotics under Article 610(2)(a) of the same Criminal Code. Local reports note that these provisions carry potential penalties ranging from long-term imprisonment up to life in prison, and in some accounts, a maximum of 20 years or more for large quantities of narcotics.
The case remains at the indictment stage and the charges have not yet been tested by a final court judgment. Media reports do not specify the plea entered by Khalilov or the schedule for subsequent hearings.
Sources
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