Chris Currell is an Australian citizen who was imprisoned in Bali, Indonesia in 2004 for planning to export 70,000 ephedrine tablets, a base ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine, to Australia in 2004 as well as ephedrine tablets that had been ground into powder.

Currell was arrested in an operation which saw several others arrested in Australia involving Australian Federal Police and Indonesian police. Currell was prosecuted under Indonesian pharmaceutical control law, which differs from 'Category 1 narcotics law' restricting marijuana, heroin and cocaine trafficking and possession. Currell faced a maximum 15 year sentence.

Unlike in the case of Schapelle Corby, whose lawyers decided for major media coverage, Chris Currell's lawyers would have deliberately adopted a low-profile approach and did their best to keep the media out.
He had to be prosecuted under pharmaceutical control laws and nevertheless he faced a 15-year sentence.

But over time the prosecutors have managed to whittle all of that away so that the main charges, that he produced or distributed a controlled pharmaceutical in large quantities, were eventually dropped and he was found guilty simply of acting virtually as an unlicensed pharmacist in that he was caught in having ground up some of these tablets, and given six months alone.

Currell was eventually found guilty of the minor charge of acting as an unlicensed pharmacist for having ground the ephedrine tablets, and given a six month sentence. Having served approximately six months in prison awaiting trial, he was due to be released shortly after sentencing.

Chris Currell did behave as wanted, he was quiet, not complaining, not fighting a system based on extortion and corruption, his lawyers only needed to negotiate the bribes to be paid to prosecution and judges and all was set.

See also

List of Australians in international prisons

Bali Broadcasting Service - News, analysis and comments about Bali they don't want you to see