A 39-year-old Malaysian pilot has been arrested in Indonesia after allegedly attempting to smuggle 26kg of MDMA into Jakarta while on duty and reportedly under the influence of drugs.
The pilot was detained on Wednesday at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta’s main airport, shortly after arriving on a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur, Indonesian customs officials said on Friday.
During a press conference, customs officer Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang said the pilot, identified only by the initials MS, has been named as a criminal suspect.
Authorities alleged that the pilot transported the MDMA in a suitcase at the request of an unidentified individual in exchange for a promised reward of RM50,000.
A urine test later found the pilot had allegedly tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine, according to Indonesian customs.
Hengky said investigators believe the pilot was acting as a drug courier and confirmed that Indonesian and Malaysian authorities are cooperating in the investigation.
Malaysia Airlines declined to comment on the specific allegations, citing the ongoing investigation.
However, the airline said it has zero tolerance for any form of misconduct, has launched an internal review into the incident, and will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities.
Indonesia has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws, with severe penalties for drug trafficking, including the death penalty in certain cases. In 2015, the country executed two Australian members of the Bali Nine drug trafficking group for attempting to smuggle heroin out of Bali
