A 32-year-old woman from South Africa, Lungile Ntombenhle Mzimela, and a 25-year-old man from Brazil, Yuri Bezerra Da Costa, were apprehended by Indonesian Customs Officials at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport on Sunday, 13 July 2025, to be processed and charged with attempting to smuggle methamphetamines and cocaine.
As reported by NusaBali.com, Bali officials seized just under one kilogram (990.83 grams) of methamphetamines from Da Costa and slightly more than 3 kilograms of cocaine from Mzimela.
Later, at a press conference on Thursday, 24 July 2025, the Head of Enforcement and Intelligence of the Anti-Narcotics Division of the Bali Police, Police Commissioner I Made Sinar Subawa, said the two individuals arrested were part of different drug syndicates and arrived in Bali on separate flights.
Yuri Bezerra Da Costa landed in Bali on 23 July 2025 on board Emirates Airlines from Dubai at 8:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Lungile Ntombenhle Mzimela landed on the same date at 10:50 p.m. from Singapore using Singapore Airlines.
Da Costa’s cache of methamphetamines was discovered during inspection of the man’s luggage and person at Bali’s Airport. The drugs were found in the Brazilian backpack and luggage, as he admitted the narcotics had been given to him by another Brazilian, Tio Paulo.
Tio Paulo had instructed DaCosta to deliver the contraband to an address in Bali. Armed with this information, Police in Bali attempted to conduct a “controlled delivery” to an address in Bali and try to establish contact with Tio Paulo, but the operation was unsuccessful.
Officer Sinar Subawa explained: “This suspect (Da Costa) was destined to become a drug courier to Bali, lured by the high pay. All travel expenses and a $500 operational fee were covered. If successful, he would have received a reward of Rp 400 million.”
Similarly, Lungile Ntombenhle Mzimela underwent a thorough inspection of her body and belongings at Bali’s Airport when police found a plastic package containing methamphetamine in her underwear wrapped in plastic. The woman, who sells goods online, told police whe was bringing the illicit goods from Johannesburg, South Africa, per an order from a man named Sindi.
Both the South African and Brazilian are facing charges under Sections 113 and 223 of the Narcotics Law No. 35 of 2009, punishable, depending on the verdict applied, by death, life imprisonment, or a minimum prison term of 5 years or a maximum of 20 years.
Since June, the Bali National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) has apprehended six drug couriers and seized 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamines. And 2 kilos of cocaine with a street value of approximately Rp. 17.8 billion.
The head of BNNP, Brigadier General Rudy, said his agency is committed to eradicating illicit drug trafficking. BNNP Bali has never stopped working to implement the Official Narcotics Prevention and Eradication Program (P4GN) by continuing to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies to realize a Drug-Free Bali. “The BNN, from the central to the regional level, continues to make various efforts to suppress illicit drug trafficking. We have collaborated with several villages to become drug-free villages (Bersinar). We also ask for support from the wider community,” said Brigadier General Rudy.
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