According to court testimonies of convicted drug mules, Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were the co-ringleaders of the heroin-smuggling operation from Indonesia to Australia.

[22] After dropping out of university in the first year of his course, Sukumaran worked as a mail-room clerk at State Street Corporation, an American investment bank, and at the passport office in Sydney.

[12][23][24] Media reports based on the testimony of co-conspirator Renae Lawrence claim that she met Sukumaran through Andrew Chan.

On the evening of 17 April, appearing like tourists, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Chen and Matthew Norman checked into the Melasti Hotel.

[29] Sukumaran was arrested on 17 April 2005, the day of his 24th birthday, at the Melasti Hotel in Kuta with Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman.

Indonesian police claim the group were in possession of 334 g (11.8 oz) of heroin and bundles of plastic wrapping, Elastoplast tape, and a set of scales, indicating involvement in a plan to transport drugs to Australia.

[30] Earlier that day at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Indonesian police also arrested the following drug mules after they were found carrying various amounts of heroin concealed on their bodies.

Alleged co-ringleader, Andrew Chan, was also arrested the same day whilst seated on an Australian Airlines flight waiting to depart Denpasar for Sydney.

Rush senior said he received assurances from the AFP that it would tell his son he was under surveillance to dissuade him from going through with the crime before the group's departure from Indonesia.

[33][34][35] When the Bali Nine were arrested, the news of the tipoff became public[36] and there was criticism of the role of the AFP in protecting the interests of Australian citizens.

In 2015, Nick Xenophon, Clive Palmer and Cathie McGowan announced they would support a private member's bill to impose jail terms on public officials who disclose information that could lead to the execution of Australians overseas, with a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

"[44] During his trial, Sukumaran denied knowing Czugaj and Rush, or any knowledge of a heroin importation plan, and frequently blamed amnesia for his inability to remember events leading to his arrest.

Prosecutors told a Bali court there was no reason to show any leniency towards Sukumaran because he helped organise the heroin smuggling operation.

[46][47] Sukumaran was found guilty of drug trafficking on 14 February 2006 by three judges in the Denpasar District Court, who sentenced him to death by firing squad.

"The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, was reported as commenting:[53][54][55] "The police are there to protect us from the ravages of drugs and I just hope that every young Australian who might in their wildest imagination think that they can get away with this will take a lesson from this" ..... "I feel desperately sorry for the parents of these people.

[56] Julian McMahon, a Melbourne human rights lawyer who took over the case in 2006 on a pro-bono basis,[26] appealed against the severity of Sukumaran's sentence to the Indonesian Supreme Court.

[1][2][4] Indonesian President at that time, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had the power to grant clemency, although media reports considered this unlikely and expected that Sukamaran would be executed.

[63] In late January lawyers for Chan and Sukumaran filed an application for a judicial review into their cases;[64][65] which was rejected by the Denpasar District Court a few days later.

[70] On 11 February 2015, Indonesian authorities approved the transfer of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Kerobokan prison to Nusa Kambangan in preparation for execution.

The concert featured performances by singer-songwriter Megan Washington, Josh Pyke, Kate Miller-Heidke, Paul Mac, Glenn Richards from Augie March, and The Presets' Julian Hamilton; with Ben Quilty, Andrew Denton, his partner, Jennifer Byrne, and Missy Higgins who recorded video messages of support for Sukumaran and Chan.

[76][77] In January 2015, Roy Morgan Research completed a poll that found over half of Australians opposed the execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

[78] On 13 February, Australia's foreign minister, Julie Bishop, raised the potential for a boycott of Bali as a tourism destination should the executions proceed.

[79] Former high court judge Michael Kirby stated that he expected a decline in tourism was a potential consequence of executing Chan and Sukumaran.

Both Bishop and Tanya Plibersek, Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman, made pleas for clemency in the Australian parliament.

[90] Australian artist Matthew Sleeth, who ran art workshops inside Kerobokan prison, called him the "best student" he had seen.