Australian woman attempts suicide in Bali jail

BALI, Indonesia - One of nine Australians awaiting trial on heroin-smuggling charges on Indonesia's holiday island of Bali has tried to commit suicide by slashing her wrists in her jail cell, police said.

Bali police chief Inspector General I Made Mangku Pastika said Renae Lawrence, 27, attempted suicide last week and was saved after being rushed to a nearby hospital.

"We don't know where she got (the razor blade) from," Pastika told reporters. "Psychological analysis shows that ... she is emotionally unstable."

Dubbed the "Bali Nine" by Australian media, the eight men and one woman were arrested in April with more than 11 kg (24.2 lb) of heroin, most of it seized at Bali airport following a 10-week operation involving Australian and Indonesian police.

Indonesian police have vowed to crack down on illegal drugs on the island which they said has become a hub for international narcotics distribution.

Courts in Bali have delivered a string of tough sentences against foreigners convicted on drugs charges. They include Australian woman Schapelle Corby, sentenced to 20 years in jail in May after being found guilty of smuggling marijuana.

- REUTERS