Bali Nine drug smugglers set to return to Australia

The remaining members of the notorious Bali Nine drug smuggling ring arrested and jailed in Indonesia could soon return home to Australia following an apparent diplomatic breakthrough.

The Australian reports Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised the matter with his Indonesian counterpart, newly elected President Prabowo Subianto, on the sidelines of the APEC conference in Peru.

Indonesian Minister for Legal Affairs and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra told Indonesia correspondents Amanda Hodge and Dian Septiari the drug mules could arrive in Australia as soon as next month.

“In Peru, the Australian Prime Minister made the request for the transfer of Australian prisoners with President Prabowo,” Mr Mahendra said.

“The Indonesia President responded that they are currently ­reviewing and processing the ­matter and it is expected to be ­carried out in December.”

There are five remaining Bali Nine smugglers still in Indonesian prison, namely Matthew Norman, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, Scott Rush and Michael Czugaj.

Renae Lawrence was released in 2018 after spending 13 years in jail.

Another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died of cancer while serving time.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the ringleaders of the operation, were executed in 2015.

The Bali Nine tried to smuggle more than 8kg heroin out of Bali and into Australia in 2005.

President Subianto was elected in February and assumed power in October, replacing President Joko Widodo.

He will now rule the sprawling southeast Asian democracy for a five-year term.