Andrew Chan was born in Sydney, New South Wales, the youngest child of Ken and Helena Chan, both first-generation Cantonese-speaking migrants from China. Chan was one of four children, having a brother and two sisters. Chan’s mother had limited English language skills, and Chan did not speak Cantonese. Chan’s brother Michael translated for him when required. Chan grew up in Enfield in South-western Sydney and attended Homebush Boys High School. Both he and Myuran Sukumaran attended the same school, but Sukumaran was four school years above Chan, and they did not meet until 2002, at a mutual friend’s house. When Chan worked for Eurest, he met Renae Lawrence, Martin Stephens and Matthew Norman. All four would later be convicted of drug trafficking as fellow members of the Bali Nine. Media reports claim that in early October 2004, Chan invited Lawrence to the Enfield home of his parents to celebrate Lawrence’s 27th birthday; Chan was living with his parents at this time. Here, Chan allegedly told Lawrence that she was to travel with him to Bali, without being told the detail behind the mission. Lawrence claimed that Chan would cover all air flights and accommodation and that if she disobeyed him or disclosed the nature of their arrangement, he would “send (her) family to the farm”. Lawrence claimed that Chan said there would be a reward, should she follow his instructions. It was also reported that she met Myuran Sukumaran around this time.

It was alleged that Andrew Chan flew to Bali on 16 October 2004, with Lawrence also arriving in Bali on the same date. Lawrence claimed that Chan was in regular contact with her when she stayed in the Istana Rama Hotel in Kuta, and Chan in Kuta’s Hard Rock complex. Media reports stated that Lawrence alleged that on 22 October 2004, Sukumaran strapped packages to the body of both Lawrence and Chan, and with Chan’s girlfriend, Grace, boarded a commercial flight to Australia, successfully clearing security, customs and immigration in both Indonesia and Australia. Lawrence claimed that she and Chan were met at the airport, the packages removed, all of them taken to another house, and then Lawrence went home. A few days later Lawrence claimed that Chan handed her an envelope with A$10,000 cash. Lawrence claimed that a similar trip was organised following Chan’s orders, where she departed Australia on 5 December 2004. Lawrence claimed that seven others were involved, including Chan, Matthew Norman, and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen (going by the alias of David). Lawrence claimed that she was again given cash to purchase air flights and accommodation for eight days, staying again at the Istana Rama in Kuta. However, the second delivery was aborted when heroin suppliers failed to deliver “due to a financial matter or someone knowing about the plan the shipment was cancelled”.

According to Lawrence, again under Andrew Chan’s instructions, Lawrence departed Australia on 6 April 2005. The day before, Lawrence, Stephens and Si Yi Chen met with Sukumaran where police allege drug smuggling tools such as sealable plastic bags, medical tape, elastic waist bands and skin tight bike shorts were stuffed into the bags of Lawrence and Stephens. Lawrence claims that she was given cash, whereas Stephens claims that his life was threatened. According to media reports, police records show that during his stay in Bali, Chan was in daily contact with Lawrence, until 13 April, when Chan changed his mobile phone number. On the same day, Chan instructed Lawrence and other members of the Bali Nine to change hotels. The original planned departure date of 14 April from Bali was delayed as Chan suspected Australian and Indonesian police were aware of his plans. Andrew Chan was arrested on 17 April 2005 as he was seated on an Australian Airlines flight waiting to depart Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, Indonesia, for Sydney. He was arrested carrying three mobile phones and a boarding pass; however, no drugs were found in his possession.

Around the same time as Andrew Chan was arrested, Indonesian police arrested four drug mules collectively carrying 8.3 kg (18 lb) of heroin concealed on their bodies. Martin Stephens was found to be carrying 3.3 kg (7.3 lb); Renae Lawrence was found to be carrying 2.689 kg (5.93 lb); Michael Czugaj was found to be carrying 1.75 kg (3.9 lb) and Scott Rush was found to be carrying 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) of heroin. A little later that same day, Indonesian police also arrested Si Yi Chen, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Myuran Sukumaran and Matthew Norman at the Melasti Hotel in Kuta. Indonesian police claim that this latter 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. After a criminal trial on 14 February 2006, Andrew Chan was sentenced to execution by firing squad by the Denpasar District Court. After lodging an appeal against his sentence, his appeal was dismissed by the Indonesian Supreme Court on 10 May 2011. His plea for clemency was rejected by the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, on 22 January 2015. The execution was carried out on 29 April 2015.