Year Sought for Aussie Woman: Lombok, Indonesia

Doing drugs or dealing drugs wherever you travel overseas is a dumb move. Getting arrested and thrown into a stinking slammer is one way of not only stuffing up your life, but also your health.

Schapelle Corby is languishing in a Balinese jail as are the Bali Nine, and now, a young woman of only 42 years of age is facing jail time in Lombok for her part in possessing and dealing drugs in Indonesia. At one time she was initially facing drug charges which carried a maximum penalty of death. A long-term resident of Lombok, Higgs ran a small resort with her husband Melvin before she was arrested after a raid on her home in February.

She was charged with using and dealing marijuana which is classed as a narcotic under Indonesia's tough drug laws. Prosecutors have demanded a one year jail sentence for the woman arrested in the city of Mataram for possession of 49.6 grams of marijuana. She told the police that she bought the drug for Rp 500,000 for her own use.

During the trial at Mataram District Court, prosecutor Yusuf Wibisono said based on testimony from witnesses, Barbara Kathleen Higgs was guilty of possessing of the illegal drug. Following the trial the defendant's lawyer, Zainudin, said he would contest the charge during the next trial session Thursday.

Kathleen is one several Australians who have been charged with possession of marijuana. Many whose names we never know are languishing in the Kerobokan Hilton. Doing drugs is just plain stupidity when you travel to Indonesia.