Two British men have been sentenced to a combined 20 years in prison after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine into Bali. Kial Garth Robinson, 29, from Chichester, received an 11-year sentence, while Piran Ezra Wilkinson, 48, was handed a nine-year term. Both were also ordered to pay a fine of approximately £45,000 or serve an additional 190 days.
Robinson, a landscape gardener, was arrested on 3 September 2025 at Bali International Airport after customs officers allegedly discovered 1.3kg of cocaine in his luggage. He faced charges including drug trafficking, importation and possession. According to prosecutors, both men claimed Robinson had been recruited by a man named Santos, who instructed him to transport the drugs from Barcelona to Bali for a fee of $3,000 (£2,250).
Robinson’s lawyer, Robert Khuana, stated that his client accepted the sentence and maintained he had been “trapped in a syndicate scenario”. Wilkinson’s lawyer also confirmed acceptance, describing the event as a lesson for the future. In December 2025, Robinson was seen in court making hand gestures, reportedly telling onlookers to “give them a smile”.
Drug trafficking carries severe penalties in Indonesia, including the death penalty. Bali has not executed anyone since 2016, when four men were shot by firing squad for drug offences.
