The remaining members of the “Bali Nine” drug ring could be released from Indonesia and returned to Australia if “ongoing” talks succeed, a minister said Sunday. Indonesian police arrested the nine Australians in 2005,

Indonesia has agreed to return to Australia the five remaining members of the so-called Bali Nine drug smuggling ring who are currently serving life sentences in the Southeast Asian country, an Indonesia minister said on Saturday.

The mooted homecoming of members of the Bali Nine drug syndicate still serving time in Indonesian jails would be a major coup for the Albanese government, which has already secured the release of economist Sean Turnell from jail in Myanmar, journalist Cheng Lei from China and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from Britain.

Two ringleaders of the group were executed in 2015, while one trafficker was released from prison and another died of cancer.

The remaining members of the Bali Nine drug smuggling ring are expected to continuing serving their sentences in Australia, a federal minister has confirmed.