Australian in Bali hashish trial

Australian expat Ian Pieter van Wieringen appeared in Gianyar District Court today charged with possession of hashish. Mr. van Wieringen is a painter who has lived in Ubud for 35 years. Ubud is in Gianyar district hence that court being used.

The maximum penalty is 10 years, but if he can prove he is an addict it can be just 3 months. Kind of sad when you see someone who is probably pretty cool get into hot water. According to The Age, the hash was found amongst orchids in his garden.

Mr. van Wieringen was arrested after police raided his house, obviously after a tip-off, most likely by either his pembantu, who knows where he keeps stuff, or by the guy who sold him the hash. You’ve got to be careful in Bali and I’ve heard expats say they like to smoke hash as its easy to conceal. You can take a small piece and jam it to the side of a cup or the underside of a table and no one will notice. Problem is the cops know what they’re looking for. Say no to drugs in Bali.

On another note, talking with expats about property again, its scary how some people come to Bali and start chucking money around. For some reason people buy into this ‘just put the title in the name of your newest, bestest, Balinese friend’. One guy told me he had invested a large sum of money (over 6 figures $US), without consulting a lawyer and was ‘going on faith’! Bali is a great place and most people are lovely. However, there are a few pitfalls that can happen if you’re not careful.