Michael Czugaj

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Michael Czugaj is an Australian former glazier from Oxley, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, arrested on April 17, 2005 with 1.75kg of heroin strapped to his legs as part of the Bali Nine group. Czugaj was found guilty of attempting to import heroin from Indonesia to Australia. He was 19 at the time of his arrest.

[edit] Criminal trial

Czugaj travelled to Bali with school friend, Scott Rush. Czugaj testified Rush introduced him to Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen whilst socialising in Brisbane, who offered them both a free holiday to Bali. Czugaj testified he had never met fellow accused Renae Lawrence or Martin Stephens, both of New South Wales until they were all arrested together at Ngurah Rai Airport carrying the concealed heroin.

During court proceedings, Czugaj often complained about feeling ill and suffering headaches, and when in pain due to a tooth extraction of a wisdom tooth, Judge I Putu Widnya asked Czugaj to proceed to the judges bench and open his mouth to prove tooth extraction had occurred [1]. Czugaj testified Andrew Chan threatened to kill him and his family if he did not cooperate and participate in the heroin smuggling attempt,

"I would never put my family in any danger and I would do anything to keep my family from harm's way. I am sure any person would do the same as I have done." [2].

During his final plea, said,

"Thank you to the authorities for how well we have been treated in custody in Bali. I am truly sorry and regret all that has happened. To start with, I was deceived by Tan with his offer of a free holiday to Bali with his friends. In all honesty I should not have been so blind to this, this so-called holiday. But as Bali has always been a favorite destination, it made me overwhelmed with excitement, I jumped at the chance to go to Bali."

On February 14, 2006, Czugaj was sentenced to life imprisonment and the sentence was upheld on April 26, 2006.

[edit] See also

• List of Australians in international prisons

[edit] References

• Drug mule Czugaj had a life of crime
• Youngest mule weighs appeal risk
• Repentant drug mule 'blinded' by holiday offer
• PM to oppose Bali death sentences, February 13, 2006
• Bali accused's family speak of anger at AFP, Australian Broadcasting Commission, February 13, 2006
• Embassy team to monitor verdicts for Bali nine, The Age, February 11, 2006
• Czugaj sorry as Bali 9 defence case ends
• Bali nine 'organiser' arrested, Sydney Morning Herald, February 13, 2006
• D-Day for the Bali nine, Sydney Morning Herald, February 13, 2006
• Bali Nine cling to faith, Herald Sun, February 13, 2006
• Czugaj apologises as Bali Nine defence ends
• Drug mule tells court of threats
• Don't interfere: Bali 9 judges
• Bali Nine trial delayed by ceremony
• Lawyers seek charges to extradite Bali nine
• Bali Nine death warning
• Warning hits Bali trial hopes
• Pub talk sent mules on Bali 'holiday'
• Sick days slow down Bali Nine trials
• Fairness of Bali Nine trial in jeopardy, say laywers

Bali Nine
Andrew Chan | Si Yi Chen | Michael Czugaj | Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen | Matthew Norman Renae Lawrence | Scott Rush | Martin Stephens | Myuran Sukumaran