By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-07-31 05:12:06 | Updated at 2026-08-02 14:19:55
2 days ago
JAKARTA – Indonesia arrested a Malaysian pilot who allegedly smuggled 26kg of the mind-altering drug MDMA into the capital Jakarta while on the job and under the influence of drugs, the Customs office said on July 31.
The pilot, 39, was arrested on July 30 at Jakarta's main airport.
The suspect, who was identified by the initials M.S., had just flown a Malaysia Airlines plane from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta, said Customs officer Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang in a press conference on July 31.
The pilot had taken MDMA in a suitcase to Jakarta at the request of an unidentified person with the promise of a RM50,000 (S$15,800) reward, the Customs office said.
A urine test found that the pilot was under the influence of cocaine and methamphetamine, Hengky said, adding that Indonesian and Malaysian authorities are in communication with each other.
Hengky said the pilot was a courier.
Malaysia Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indonesia has strict drug laws. In 2015, it executed two Australians in the Bali Nine drug ring for attempting to smuggle heroin out of the resort island of Bali. REUTERS
