Past Australian political candidate caught with marijuana in Bali

A would-be politician and unionist from Western Australia has been arrested on drug charges in Bali.

Indonesian authorities allegedly caught Robert Paul McJannett, 48, with two grams of marijuana in socks in his luggage at Denpasar Airport.

Officials say McJannett, a crane operator, was initially uncooperative following his arrest, attempting to flush the marijuana down a toilet.

He had been detained after arriving in Bali with his 21-year-old son on a Virgin Blue flight from Perth on Monday night.

"He even ran with the marijuana and tried to flush it in toilet, but the officers managed to avoid it," airport customs official Bagus Endro Wibowo said.

McJannett, who is from Queensland but now lives in Perth, unsuccessfully ran as an independent in the 2005 by-election for the south-east Queensland seat of Redcliffe.

He has also been embroiled in a legal battle before the WA Industrial Relations Commission over his attempt to gain a top position within the powerful CFMEU.

McJannett stood against the union's assistant state secretary Joe McDonald twice but lost both elections.

The head of the Bali drugs squad, Colonel Kokot Indarto, said police intended to charge McJannett with article 112 of the narcotics law for carrying drugs from abroad, which carries a penalty of more than five years' jail.

"Because he carried more than two grams, this could not be indicated as user's because user's limitation is only 0.15 grams," Colonel Indarto said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the arrest and says McJannett and his family are receiving consular assistance.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/29/2782308.htm