Evidence grows in Bali case

CANBERRA - Damning new evidence continues to mount against the nine Australians facing execution in Bali for the attempted smuggling of heroin strapped to the bodies of four "mules".

In Bali, police confirmed that they had found heroin in two suitcases seized last week from a Kuta hotel opposite the Melasti Hotel, where four members of the group were arrested with 300g of heroin.

Although investigators have not officially confirmed a linkage, Andrew Chan, 21, one of the alleged ringleaders, had booked into a room at the Yans Hotel under a false name.

Chan was taken from a flight leaving Denpasar for Sydney the same night police arrested alleged "mules" Renae Lawrence, 27, Scott Rush, 19, Michael Czugaj, 19, and Martin Stephens, 29, with 8.3kg of heroin taped to their bodies.

Although Chan had no drugs on him when he was arrested, police allege he was deeply involved in an operation that planned further shipments, including one being prepared when the Melasti Hotel was raided.

The Melasti raid netted alleged kingpin and enforcer Myuran Sukumaran, 24, Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen, 27 - alleged by police to have recruited Rush and Czugaj - Si Yi Chen, 20, and Matthew Norman, 18.

Investigators said Chan had booked into the Yans Hotel but had not stayed there.

They said two suitcases seized from the hotel contained traces of heroin, which were being examined by forensic investigators.

Indonesian National Police Force narcotics chief Senior Superintendent Indradi Tanos also said last week that a Nepalese narcotics trafficker sought by several international law agencies was linked to the nine.

Man Singh Ghale, 29, was shot dead during a raid on a Jakarta house last week.

Yesterday Nepalese investigator Superintendent Hemant Malla confirmed Ghale was a heroin trafficker supplying narcotics to Australia.