Latest news with #BaliBeach
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Sad theories emerge as popular Aussie travel destination destroyed: 'Put people off'
A beloved beach community in Bali has been left destroyed after authorities sensationally came in with hammers and began knocking down several popular villas and drinking holes. The painful scene unfolded in video footage as business owners, employees, locals and tourists cried out when crews began smashing the over 40 "illegal" structures to rubble, decimating the local economy. The picturesque cliffside region, known for its impressive surf break, is meant to be part of a green belt, but over the years, buildings and resorts like Morabito Art Cliff have popped up as Bali attempts to keep up with immense tourism demand. But as 2025 is expected to reach a record number of international tourists, many have been left asking why authorities would, in the height of its peak tourism season, decide to take such drastic action and what impact it may have in years to come. Managing Director at Australian Traveller Media, Quentin Long, described the actions taken by police and local authorities as "performative". While unsactioned developments are common in Bali, he believes "in this instance it looks like the authorities want to make a point." Despite the widespread shock at the action taken, Long believes "we shouldn't be surprised." "It's local politics, you never know in Indonesia. It's not our country and they operate in a different way." 🐕 Aussie travellers warned to be vigilant as deadly disease causes alarm in Bali 🏝️ New Bali visa rule to 'hold people accountable' ✈️ Aussie travellers urged to avoid $15 mistake on popular holiday island What's going to happen to Uluwatu's Bingin Beach? Authorities have since stated that the move was designed to "disable" the business premises before large-scale demolition could occur. "By disabling vital facilities, this will certainly impact operations. Only then can everything be levelled," Chief of the Badung Satpol PP, Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara, told reporters. It's understood that demolition work is intended to be completed within a month, and only after this process is complete will be community be invited to discuss the future of the land. Many are questioning if the demolition of Bingin Beach will leave the area in disrepair or make way for something else. While Long believes surfers will always come to the area regardless of what the cliff face looks like, it "would impact what people do once they've had a surf", meaning there could be widespread implications for the region. "It depends on what happens next, he said. "If it is left in that state of disrepair, it'll put people off," he said. Long speculated that redevelopment will "probably" take place in the prime tourist location. "Will they put a beach club there? Evidence suggests they will," he said. "History says that development will happen and you'll have a new tourism experience that replaces the old one and lifts the amount of money it takes to get there," he said. Long said he suspects that in a year or six months, there'll be an announcement that will give clarity to the situation. "There are so many possible explanations for why now and why they are doing it in that particular way." Bali officials hand out 'self-demolition' orders Bali is expected to see more than 6.3 million visitors in 2025, with Uluwatu being one of the prime tourist spots thanks to its pristine beaches and clifftop views. Both foreign-backed and Indonesian-owned businesses have been cashing in, building resorts, villas, cafes and restaurants to keep up with the demand. Local media reported in the past few months many of the constructions on Bingin Beach were done so illegally, with officials using "self-demolition" orders. When businesses refused to demolish their own business, Balinese officials burst in on Monday and began using hand tools to destroy the businesses. "The buildings for tourism businesses here are illegal — that's it," Bali's governor, I Wayan Koster. "We should not let this practice continue. If we let this go on, Bali will be damaged." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Brit 'caught accepting half a pound of cocaine from a drug smuggler in police sting' faces 12 years in jail in Bali
An Argentine woman and a British man went on trial Thursday on charges of smuggling cocaine to the Indonesian tourist island of Bali. If convicted, they could face up to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors say Eleonora Gracia, 46, was arrested in March at Bali's airport with 244 grams (half a pound) of cocaine wrapped in a condom hidden in her vagina. Authorities alleged that she handed over the cocaine to Elliot James Shaw, 50, during a police sting operation at a hotel near a Bali beach. Prosecutors at the District Court in Denpasar, Bali's provincial capital, said they violated anti-narcotics laws that carry a penalty of up to 12 years in prison. After the charges against Gracia and Shaw were read out in the Bali court, a panel of three judges adjourned the trial until July 3. The court is expected to deliver its verdict next month. Gracia and Shaw wore face masks as they sat next to each other in court. Neither they nor their lawyers spoke in court or to reporters covering the trial. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug-smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population. Indonesian authorities on Monday arrested 285 people suspected of drug trafficking, including 29 women and seven foreigners, and seized over half a ton of narcotics during a two-month crackdown. About 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections' data showed last month. Indonesia's last executions, of a citizen and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016. It comes after it emerged three Britons held in Bali over an alleged cocaine smuggling plot will not face the death penalty, a major reprieve in a country with some of the world's toughest drug laws. Indonesian prosecutors said they were seeking 12 months in prison for the three British nationals, all from Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex, accused of drug offences on the resort island. Jonathan Christopher Collyer, 38, and Lisa Ellen Stocker, 39, were arrested on February 1 after being stopped at Bali's international airport with 17 packages of cocaine that weighed nearly a kilogram, according to public court records. They appeared in court alongside Phineas Ambrose Float, 31, who was allegedly due to receive the packages and was arrested a few days later in February. '(Demanding the court) to sentence the defendants to one year in prison and to keep them in detention,' prosecutor Made Dipa Umbara told the district court in Bali's capital Denpasar. Umbara said that while the defendants were accused of breaking the law, they behaved well in court, acknowledged their wrongdoings, and pledged not to repeat their mistakes. The sentence call came as a surprise as convicted drug traffickers, especially those caught with large quantities, have in the past been executed by firing squad in Indonesia - including foreign nationals. If the quantity is large but not enough for the death penalty, life in prison is a common sentence. The country has upheld a moratorium on the death sentence since 2017. The British Foreign Office said it was in touch with local authorities about the case. 'We are providing consular support to three British Nationals detained in Indonesia,' a spokesperson said.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- CTV News
Argentine woman and British man go on trial in Bali accused of smuggling cocaine
British national, Elliot James Shaw, left, and Argentine national Eleonora Gracia, right, who are accused of smuggling cocaine into Indonesia, sit on the defendant's bench prior to the start of their trial hearing at the district court in Denpasar, Bali, on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo) DENPASAR, Indonesia — An Argentine woman and a British man went on trial Thursday on charges of smuggling cocaine to the Indonesian tourist island of Bali. If convicted, they could face up to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors say Eleonora Gracia, 46, was arrested in March at Bali's airport with 244 grams (half a pound) of cocaine wrapped in a condom hidden in her vagina. Authorities alleged that she handed over the cocaine to Elliot James Shaw, 50, at a hotel near a Bali beach. Prosecutors at the District Court in Denpasar, Bali's provincial capital, said they violated anti-narcotics laws that carry a penalty of up to 12 years in prison. After the charges against Gracia and Shaw were read out in the Bali court, a panel of three judges adjourned the trial until July 3. The court is expected to deliver its verdict next month. Gracia and Shaw wore face masks as they sat next to each other in court. Neither they nor their lawyers spoke in court or to reporters covering the trial. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug-smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population. Indonesian authorities on Monday arrested 285 people suspected of drug trafficking, including 29 women and seven foreigners, and seized over half a ton of narcotics during a two-month crackdown. About 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections' data showed last month. Indonesia's last executions, of a citizen and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016. ___ Firdia Lisnawati, The Associated Press Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.
Washington Post
26-06-2025
- Washington Post
Argentine woman and British man go on trial in Bali accused of smuggling cocaine
DENPASAR, Indonesia — An Argentine woman and a British man went on trial Thursday on charges of smuggling cocaine to the Indonesian tourist island of Bali. If convicted, they could face up to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors say Eleonora Gracia, 46, was arrested in March at Bali's airport with 244 grams (half a pound) of cocaine wrapped in a condom hidden in her vagina. Authorities alleged that she handed over the cocaine to Elliot James Shaw, 50, at a hotel near a Bali beach.
BreakingNews.ie
26-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
British man and Argentine woman go on trial in Bali accused of smuggling cocaine
A British man and an Argentine woman have gone on trial on charges of smuggling cocaine to the Indonesian tourist island of Bali. Prosecutors say Eleonora Gracia, 46, was arrested in March at Bali's airport with 244 grams (half a pound) of cocaine wrapped in a condom hidden in her vagina. Advertisement Authorities alleged that she handed over the cocaine to Elliot James Shaw, 50, at a hotel near a Bali beach. Prosecutors at the District Court in Denpasar, Bali's provincial capital, said they violated anti-narcotics laws that carry a penalty of up to 12 years in prison. After the charges against Gracia and Shaw were read out in the Bali court, a panel of three judges adjourned the trial until July 3. The court is expected to deliver its verdict next month. Advertisement Gracia and Shaw wore face masks as they sat next to each other in court. Neither they nor their lawyers spoke in court or to reporters covering the trial. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug-smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population. Indonesian authorities on Monday arrested 285 people suspected of drug trafficking, including 29 women and seven foreigners, and seized more than half a ton of narcotics during a two-month crackdown. Advertisement About 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections' data showed last month. Indonesia's last executions, of a citizen and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016.
