Customs authorities at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have increased baggage screening measures for flight crew following the arrest of a Malaysian pilot who was allegedly involved in a drug-smuggling attempt.
Soekarno-Hatta Main Customs and Excise Office head Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang said the new measures include more frequent random inspections involving pilots and cabin crew from both domestic and international airlines.
He said the dedicated crew lane at the airport would continue to operate, but additional checks would be carried out to strengthen security procedures.
“Providing a dedicated crew lane is our responsibility. However, following this incident, we will conduct random inspections, including stricter checks on pilots and flight crew,” he said, as reported by Antara news agency.
Hengky said authorities are reviewing aviation security procedures at Indonesia’s busiest airport, although the enhanced measures will focus on baggage screening rather than drug testing.
Indonesian authorities previously announced that a 39-year-old Malaysian pilot was arrested on July 29 after allegedly attempting to smuggle around 25kg of ecstasy worth about Rp60 billion (RM13.51 million) into the country.
Investigators also claimed the suspect tested positive for MDMA, methamphetamine and cocaine, while alleging that he had carried out similar drug smuggling activities previously.
The suspect was believed to have used the crew baggage system by hiding the drugs under clothing inside a suitcase marked with a crew claim tag.
Initial investigations found the pilot was allegedly offered RM50,000 for the operation, while authorities continue efforts to identify and track down other members of the suspected syndicate.
