An Australian man evaded Balinese police for 10 hours by allegedly escaping from a toilet window as they watched TV after he was arrested at the airport.
Joshua James Baker, from Mt Isa, Queensland, was detained by police after they allegedly caught him trying to bring antidepressants into the country.
Police say the 32-year-old managed to borrow a staff member’s phone at a nearby mini-market before he got a taxi to visit a friend, The West reported.
Joshua James Baker (pictured) allegedly escape police in Bali by jumping out of the toilet window while the guards were ‘too excited watching television’
The 32-year-old is reportedly being held by police in Bali after marijuana and antidepressant pills were allegedly found in his luggage earlier this week
Mr Baker, who reportedly escaped custody while the police ‘were too excited watching television’, caught the taxi to a fake home address to throw off police.
However, the Queenslander’s freedom was short lived as he was caught by authorities while he was having lunch at a hotel in Kuta, a two-and-a-half hour drive from the airport.
‘Apparently Baker is smart … he pretended it was his house, like trying to open the gate, but apparently he went away once the taxi was gone,’ the deputy director of the narcotics directorate at Bali police, Sudjarwoko, told the publication.
Mr Baker, who was stopped by customs in Bali on Sunday for a holiday, reportedly told police he took the drugs from Australia and believed he is not guilty because it is legal to use marijuana in Australia.
The Queensland man is in custody at a Balinese police hospital but has not yet been officially declared a suspect.
Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise chief Budi Harjanto told the publication his officers became suspicious of Mr Baker after his luggage was scanned.
Inside his bag officers allegedly discovered 36grams of marijuana mixed with loose tobacco and 37 Diazepam anti-depressant pills, Mr Harjanto said.
Police claim the 36 grams of marijuana was found in Mr Baker’s bag when he arrived from Thailand on Sunday
Mr Harjanto claimed the marijuana tested positive in a narcotic test.
‘He said he brought it only for individual use, for himself. He said the drugs were planned to be used by himself. But we don’t know the truth,’ Mr Harjanto said.
Customs officers handed Mr Baker over to police on Monday to be interviewed but the 32-year-old allegedly escaped after asking to visit the toilet.
Mr Baker, from Mt Isa in north Queensland, has not yet been officially declared a suspect
Police claim they also discovered 37 Diazepam anti-depressant pills in Mr Baker’s luggage
Police are still conducting tests on the Diazepam, Deputy Director of the Narcotic Directorate of Bali Police, Suwardjoko, told News.com.au.
‘He said that it is an antidepressant. He said he is sick, that he got depression, so he needs the medicine,’ he said.
‘We haven’t conducted intensive interrogation of him. We will check it in the lab first, after that, we will conduct intensive interrogation.’