Read the X-rated sign that triggered a police raid at a Bali day spa owned by Aussie pub baron couple - as theyre accused of running an illegal brothel

A saucy sign outside the Bali Pink Palace Spa triggered the Indonesian police raid thats landed an Australian couple behind bars.


A saucy sign outside the Bali Pink Palace Spa triggered the Indonesian police raid thats landed an Australian couple behind bars. 

The spa sign - now covered over with a hastily-installed tarpaulin - revealed it was allegedly running as a bisexual brothel when it bragged: Happy coq, happy life.

The police raid led to the arrest of Melbourne couple Michael, 50, and Lynley Le Grand, 44, as local cops cracked down on the illegal sex industry in Bali.

The Australian couple own the popular GOAT bar hospitality empire in Bali but are now being held in custody after the raid on the Pink Palace sensual spa.

Indonesian reports say the Pink Palace was raided because it allegedly provided same-sex prostitution and bisexual practices which goes against Indonesian culture.

On the day of the raid police allegedly found a number of sexily dressed women and muscular men, who behave in an effeminate manner.

Homosexuality is frowned upon in Indonesia. A Bali police spokesman said officers seized items from the Pink Palace, including lingerie, condoms and massage oil. 

Police have now barricaded the venue with police tape and draped a cover over its large pink neon sign promoting sensual spa and relaxation with a cartoon of a rooster in sunglasses with the words Happy Coq, Happy Life.

Michael Le Grands head bowed, he and wife Lynley are paraded in handcuffs outside Bali Police headquarters after their arrest

Michael Le Grands head bowed, he and wife Lynley are paraded in handcuffs outside Bali Police headquarters after their arrest 

Lynley and Michael Le Grand own a hospitality empire in Bali where the Melbourne couple operate a chain of hotels, a luxury rental villa, a café and the Pink Palace, now shut down by police

Lynley and Michael Le Grand own a hospitality empire in Bali where the Melbourne couple operate a chain of hotels, a luxury rental villa, a café and the Pink Palace, now shut down by police 

Bali Police have closed down the Pink Palace sensual spa and relaxation centre and draped its sign with a cover over the venues neon sign which sports a rooster and the words happy coq, happy life

Bali Police have closed down the Pink Palace sensual spa and relaxation centre and draped its sign with a cover over the venues neon sign which sports a rooster and the words happy coq, happy life  

Police arrested and handcuffed the Le Grands, who are accused of operating the  Pink Palace in Badung and lease a luxury villa which they rent out for $200 a night.

A police spokesman told the ABC the Pink Palace was allegedly turning over between $95,000 and $285,000 a year.

Michael Le Grand grimly bowed his head as he and his wife were paraded with their wrists handcuffed behind their backs at Bali Police headquarters over the weekend.

The Le Grands also operate the Corner House cafe, and a string of pubs each known as The Goat at different famous Bali beach locations.

One of the Goat pubs was raided two years ago for a suspected illegal horse betting operation, but no charges were laid.

Gambling and prostitution are both illegal in Bali, and traditional social norms in Indonesia do not accept homosexuality or gender transition.

Even in Buddhist Bali, which is more relaxed than the remainder of the worlds largest Islamic country, same-sex couples are not eligible for any of the legal protections available to male-female couples.

Last year, Indonesia passed a new criminal code which potentially violates the rights of LGBT people and others, by making consensual sex outside of marriage a criminal offence.

The country does not recognise same-sex marriage. Its new laws also criminalise abortion, increase jail terms for blasphemy and formalise Sharia law which discriminates against women and girls.

Originally raided on September 11, the Pink Palace operated by advertising spa packages on social media and using vans decorated with the venues rooster logo to collect customers.

Lynley Le Grand was dressed in an orange prison shirt, stamped with the word Tahanan Polda Bali, meaning Detainee, Bali Police
Her wrists handcuffed behind her back, Lynley Le Grand is taken into custody at police headquarters in Bali

Dressed in an orange prison shirt, stamped with the word Tahanan Polda Bali, meaning Detainee, Bali Police  and handcuffed behind her back, Lynley Le Grand is taken into custody at police headquarters

Hospitality entrepreneurs Michael and Lynley Le Grand were arrested in Bali last Friday
The venues neon sign, with the words Happy Coq, Happy life has now been draped by Bali Police

Hospitality entrepreneurs Michael and Lynley Le Grand were arrested in Bali last Friday after their Pink Palace spa was raided for alleged prostitution. The venues neon sign, with the words Happy Coq, Happy Life has now been draped by Bali Police

Police allege guests would be picked up and driven to the venue where they could select from a room full of therapists, who were sex workers. 

Customers would allegedly be shown a massage treatment menu which included sensation massage, body to body and happy ending and, police allege, then enter a private room for intercourse. 

One of the females found working as a therapist during the raid, NSP, was allegedly a minor, aged 17 years and seven months. 

Bali Police charged the two Le Grands, and four others, including the couples operations director, general manager and two receptionists.

They were charged under Indonesian Child Protection Laws, which outlaw sexual and economic exploitation of children, and also with a pornography offence.

They were taken to the Bali Police Detention Centre.

At the age of 22, Lynley Le Grand was injured in Paddys Bar at Kuta Beach in the 2002 bombing attacks by Islamic militant terrorists. She was airlifted to Melbourne to recover. 

The Le Grands have four children, including an older son who is a Melbourne DJ.

Mr Le Grand operates popular sports bars which open between 9am and 3am, are frequented mostly by Aussies and other tourists, and broadcast events like the AFL and NRL grand finals on large TV screens.

Police have shut the venue, barricaded it with crime scene tape and arrested eight people, including Melbourne couple Michael and Lynley Le Grand who owns a hospitality empire in Bali

Police have shut the venue, barricaded it with crime scene tape and arrested eight people, including Melbourne couple Michael and Lynley Le Grand who owns a hospitality empire in Bali

Michael Le Grand inside on e of his Bali Goat pubs, at Legian beach in the island paradise

Michael Le Grand inside on e of his Bali Goat pubs, at Legian beach in the island paradise

The Le Grands have advertised their Seminyak villa for $200 a night, and celebrated the fact that it has been heavily booked as Christmas approaches

The Le Grands have advertised their Seminyak villa for $200 a night, and celebrated the fact that it has been heavily booked as Christmas approaches

Police had previously raided The Goat Pub in Seminyak in June 2022 and arrested him and three staff members, seizing cash and other items related to alleged horse racing betting.

After a day of questioning at the Denpasar Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Lynley Le Grand collected the four who were released without charge.

Anyone caught facilitating gambling in Indonesia can face up to 10 years in prison.

The Le Grands are both long-term Bali residents, with Michael posting on Facebook a year ago a photograph of a sunset over a Bali waterfront with the words, I think I may of found my permanent digs (sic).

Last Friday, police publicly lined up the couple dressed in orange police shirts for the media along with eight others arrested at the Pink Palace spa. 

Under anti-pornography laws, the Le Grands could face up to 12 years in jail if found guilty.

IndonesiaMelbourne
Источник: Daily Online

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