Australian boy, 14, held over drugs

Australia’s foreign minister said yesterday he will do everything possible to secure the return of a 14-year-old boy arrested for alleged marijuana possession while on a family holiday in Indonesia.

The boy has been held at Denpasar police headquarters on the island since he was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly buying a small quantity of marijuana from a man on Kuta Beach.

His lawyer, Muhammad Rifan, said the boy faces a maximum sentence of six years in an adult prison if convicted of possessing a quarter of an ounce (7 grams) of marijuana, which under Indonesian law is treated the same as heroin or cocaine.

Australian foreign minister Kevin Rudd said that his job was to “do everything possible to get this little bloke home”. However, he noted it could take some time, saying “there are real challenges that we face here, and I think we’ve all got to be patient”.

Prime minister Julia Gillard described the boy’s incarceration as “an incredibly distressing circumstance”. She said the boy was being held apart from other prisoners.

The boy, from Morrisset Park, north of Sydney, was on holiday with his parents when he was arrested. Local media reported yesterday that the boy told police he bought the marijuana because he felt sorry for the alleged dealer, who said he had not eaten for a day.