PM berates Aussie drug users

PM berates Aussie drug users

Australians who take drugs into Asia are stupid and should not
expect to be bailed out by the Australian government, Prime
Minister John Howard said after another two Australians were
detained in Indonesia over drugs.

Howard said he could not believe Australians would still risk
taking drugs into Asia after the high-profile conviction of
beautician Schapelle Corby, who was sentenced to 20 years in
prison in May for smuggling 4.2 kg of marijuana into Bali.

"It's beyond belief that any Australian could be so stupid as
to carry drugs into any country in Asia," Howard told Australian
television late on Tuesday.

"We have told Australians -- young Australians -- again and
again, don't take drugs out of this country, don't take them into
Asian countries because you can't expect any mercy," he said.

Despite wide Australian media attention on Corby, who was
detained late last year, another nine Australians were arrested
in April in a joint drug bust between Australian and Indonesian
police, involving about 11 kg of heroin.

The eight men and one woman, who have become known as the Bali
nine, are awaiting trial in Indonesia.

Last weekend, 24-year-old model Michelle Leslie was detained
in Bali after police said they found ecstasy pills in her bag and
Graham Clifford Payne was arrested in Sumatra after police said
they found him with 0.1 grams of methamphetamine.

Police said they later found about 2,000 prescription drug
pills at Payne's home in the Indonesian city of Medan.

Howard said Australians who ignored warnings about taking
drugs into Asia should not expect help from the government.

"People have to understand that if they defy that, and they
get caught with drugs, they can't expect the government to bail
them out," Howard said.

"I'm just amazed that people would even contemplate after all
the publicity that's been given to some quite prominent cases in
recent months, that people would do this." -- Reuters