Bali Drugs Mule Returns to UK After 13 Years on Death Row
Lindsay Sandiford, 69, has arrived back in the UK after spending 12 years on death row in Indonesia for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali.
Background and Sentence
In 2012, at age 56, Sandiford admitted to smuggling drugs into Indonesia but stated she was coerced by an international drug syndicate that threatened her family if she refused. The following year, she was sentenced to death by firing squad.
Prison Conditions and Release
She endured harsh conditions in prison until a humanitarian agreement secured her release last month.
Return to the UK
After a 20-hour flight with a layover and a government-funded £600 ticket, Sandiford landed at London Heathrow Airport, marking her first time back in Britain in over a decade.
Health and Family
She is reportedly "desperate" to reunite with her family and obtain urgent medical care following the UK Government's efforts to secure her freedom.
“Doctors have assessed Lindsay and determined she's very unwell. She has spent 12 years in one of the worst prisons in the world and that has taken its toll on her. She's desperate to get home, she's been preparing for months. Before leaving prison she said a farewell to the other prisoners who have become like family to her.”
Lindsay Sandiford’s long ordeal highlights the severe conditions faced by drug offenders abroad and the impact on their health and families.
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