Australians who take drugs to Asia are 'stupid' - PM

SYDNEY - Australians who take drugs into Asia are stupid and should not expect to be bailed out by the Australian government, Prime Minister John Howard said after another two Australians were detained in Indonesia over drugs.

Howard said he could not believe Australians would still risk taking drugs into Asia after the high-profile conviction of beautician Schapelle Corby, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in May for smuggling 4.2kg of marijuana into Bali.

"It's beyond belief that any Australian could be so stupid as to carry drugs into any country in Asia," Howard told Australian television late on Tuesday.

"We have told Australians -- young Australians -- again and again, don't take drugs out of this country, don't take them into Asian countries because you can't expect any mercy," he said.

Despite wide Australian media attention on Corby, who was detained late last year, another nine Australians were arrested in April in a joint drug bust between Australian and Indonesian police, involving about 11kg of heroin.

The eight men and one woman, who have become known as the Bali nine, are awaiting trial in Indonesia.

Last weekend, 24-year-old model Michelle Leslie was detained in Bali after police said they found ecstasy pills in her bag and Graham Clifford Payne was arrested in Sumatra after police said they found him with 0.1g of methamphetamine.

Police said they later found about 2000 prescription drug pills at Payne's home in the Indonesian city of Medan.

Howard said Australians who ignored warnings about taking drugs into Asia should not expect help from the government.

"People have to understand that if they defy that, and they get caught with drugs, they can't expect the government to bail them out," Howard said.

"I'm just amazed that people would even contemplate after all the publicity that's been given to some quite prominent cases in recent months, that people would do this."

- REUTERS