A New Zealand man facing the death penalty after allegedly smuggling 1.7kg of crystal methamphetamine into Bali had travelled to Hong Kong to see a woman he'd met online.
Indonesian authorities have arrested 52-year-old Anthony Glen de Malmanche four days after he flew into Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport from Hong Kong with a suspicious-looking package.
De Malmanche had travelled to Hong Kong to see a woman he'd met online, his son Ashley de Malmanche told TVNZ.
The woman was due to meet him in Bali where they were planning to get married, according to media reports.
De Malmanche was acting suspiciously when taking his luggage on Monday morning, the airport's head of customs office Budi Harjanto told reporters in Bali on Friday.
"From X-ray examination, we found something suspicious in his green backpack," Mr Budi said.
"After checking, we found a package with clear plastic wrapping, wrapped again with red plastic and brown duct tape. Inside, there's clear crystal weighed 1709 gram total."
A narcotics test found the crystal was methamphetamine, he said.
De Malmanche has been charged with a section of Indonesia's narcotics law that carries a maximum penalty of death and a one billion rupiah ($A97,037) fine.
Joni Lai, the deputy of Bali Provincial Police Drugs Squad, said the investigation had turned up limited information about the drug smuggling plan.
De Malmanche was told to meet a woman from South Africa who was also flying to Bali, but police didn't find her at the alleged agreed meeting point.
"It was controlled from the outside. He hasn't said how much he's paid. He only admitted to be given shopping money."
The NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it's aware of the reports from Bali but hasn't been contacted for consular assistance or advice.
FALLING FOUL OF INDONESIAN DRUG LAWS
* 2014: A friend of Australian Bali Nine convict Renae Lawrence arrested with 0.44 grams of crystal meth
* 2014: Kiwi Leeza Ormsby serves 10 months after officers found a half-smoked joint in her handbag and MDMA and hashish in the Bali villa where she was staying
* 2013: Australian Julie Anne Joseph sent to jail for eight months after being caught in Lombok with 1.73 grams of crystal meth in her handbag
* 2011: Australian Michael Sacatides sentenced to 18 years after being caught at Bali's airport with crystal meth in his suitcase
* 2011: Kiwi-born Melburnian Willie Rare - also known as Angus McCaskill - sentenced to seven years in jail after being caught in Bali with four grams of cocaine, released after one year
* 2005: Nine Australians charged over a plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin into Bali: Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are on death row; Martin Stephens, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Si Yi Chen, Scott Rush are serving life; Renae Lawrence is serving 20 years
* 2005: Schapelle Corby sentenced to 20 years in prison for importing 4.2kg of cannabis into Bali, released in 2014.
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