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Three of the men said to have been ripped off in Bali on a bucks' trip

Aussies Ripped Off in Bucks' Night Scam

Sunday, June 21, 2015
PHUKET: Australian tourists on a bucks' party outing to Bali were pistol-whipped, tasered and forced to pay a bribe of about $25,000 to avoid trumped-up charges and threats of a 10-year prison sentence, according to a newspaper article published today.

The allegations are likely to further damage the holiday island's reputation and turn off more Australians.

Aussies were the Indonesian holiday island's bread and butter until the execution of two Australians by an Indonesian firing squad began to raise doubts in the minds of travellers earlier this year.

Since then, numbers have dipped and are likely to fall further with the latest damaging allegations.

Phuket and Bali have similar appeal. If one suffers from a setback, the other usually benefits.

The Age newspaper in Melbourne reports today that a group of 16 men flew to Bali in February for the buck's weekend of marketing consultant and former model, Mark Ipaviz.

According to two of the group, who preferred to stay anonymous, their five-day stay in Seminyak soured on the final night, February 26, when a stripper was organised for a party at a restaurant.

Within minutes of the exotic dancer beginning her routine, the newspaper reports, the private dining room was stormed by security guards brandishing guns.

One member of the bucks party was smashed over the head with a bottle, several were shocked with taser guns, while another was pistol-whipped and threatened with death, the anonymous guests claim.

One of the injured men required medical treatment for a laceration to the head.

The guards forced the Australians to hand over their mobile phones and called police in Kuta, says the report.

Held in a police cell overnight, the men were told they faced serious indecency charges that carried a 10-year prison sentence in Indonesia.

After more than 24 hours in custody, two men were dispatched to withdraw the equivalent of more than $A25,000 on behalf of the group from several different automatic teller machines in Kuta and Seminyak, accompanied by the translator and an armed police officer.

Once the bribe was paid, the men were released but the entire group missed their return flights to Melbourne, according to the report.

Comments

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What type of 'restaurant' has security guards, never mind armed ones?

Posted by Lashay on June 21, 2015 20:08

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or they all had a dirty weekend and they had to justify spending all that money on strippers and hookers because there is no proof either story happened.

Posted by Arthur on June 21, 2015 21:44

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They must have attended the seminar in phuket
"When the going gets rough how to rip off the tourists more"

Should have stuck to Sydney those boats going off there are a riot and legal

Posted by Michael on June 21, 2015 21:50

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New business idea for patong

Posted by Simi on June 21, 2015 21:57

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Just don't do illegal things being a tourist incl. strippers etc. and you will be fine. Play with fire and sit on burns..

Posted by Richard on June 22, 2015 09:23

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and the exotic dancer got an indecent payment too what a scam.

Posted by slickmelb on June 22, 2015 09:31

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The Indonesians saw a great business opportunity and seemed to know 25 grand would no be problem for these lads their forward planning intelligence and targeting is just too spot on somebody told stories they just didn't drop in so well staffed and equipped by chance.

Posted by slickmelb on June 22, 2015 09:47

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People forget the Bali is governed by the government in Indonesia which is Muslim. How many Muslim countries allow stripping I am surprised they allow alcohol although Bali is Hindu bt still part of Indonesia. It is also the only place that charged me for entering Indonesia and leaving Indonesia and I have been to many countries. A poor fellow missed his flight to Australia as he did not see the place to pay his departure tax and ATM's were only outside the airport. Having been to Bali and Phuket the people and island of Phuket wins on both counts. The people here although are money grabbing do it in a more gentle way compared to Bali. Bali greed is blunt and the people are a lot more aggressive one taxi I was in almost had a physical fight with another one. Thaffic in Denpasar makes Phuket look tranquil. However as the Rupiah has gone down it is probably cheaper than Phuket. It's the Aussies' equivalent to Brit's Majorca. Near, tacky and in the sun!

Posted by I am pretty far from ok on June 22, 2015 14:32

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Seems strange this happened 4 months ago and has just come to light now. Pretty sure if this had happened to me as they have said, everyman and his dog would have been told the second I hit Australia.

Posted by Neil A on June 22, 2015 14:39

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@ herbert
if you knew who ownes SW you wouldn't be asking that

Posted by FS on June 22, 2015 16:12

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Herbert,
Soi Seadragon. Just remind me again where that is just so I know where to keep away from.

Posted by MoW on June 22, 2015 16:59

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I worked a few weeks in Indonesia & Malaysia a few years back - I remember coming ashore in NE Malaysia after a 4 week trip - no alcohol till the local policeman took us to a 'beer garden' at the back of his shop house & regaled us with stories of his weekend visits with his buddies across the border to Songkla.

Posted by Logic on June 22, 2015 19:08

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Neil A,
Maybe it was booked as a marketing conference and as it is approaching the end of the financial year, no receipt, non tax deductible. A release payment together with a police report stating the amount paid may just be enough to satisfy the ATO as a 'conference' related expense.

Posted by MoW on June 22, 2015 20:25

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Well in Philippines every mcdonalds, burgerking etc has a guard with a pump action shotgun.

Posted by Michael Ronayne on July 6, 2015 14:11


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