Bali Drugs Mule Returns to UK After 12 Years on Death Row
Lindsay Sandiford, 69, has returned to the UK after spending 12 years on death row in Indonesia for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali.
In 2012, at age 56, Sandiford admitted to drug trafficking but claimed she was forced by an international drug syndicate that threatened her family if she refused.
She was sentenced to death by firing squad in 2013 and endured harsh prison conditions until a humanitarian deal secured her release last month.
After a 20-hour flight with a layover, Sandiford arrived at London Heathrow Airport on a government-funded ticket costing £600. This marked her first return to British soil in over a decade.
She is reported to be eager to reunite with her family and seek urgent medical care following her release.
"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."
Sandiford’s long ordeal highlights the severe consequences of international drug trafficking and the challenges faced by those caught in such situations.