Malaysian airline pilot arrested in Jakarta with tens of thousands of ecstasy pills

Customs officers at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport arrested a 39-year-old Malaysian pilot, known only as MS, after a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur landed. Inside his suitcase were 14 bags containing more than 70,000 ecstasy pills, and his hand luggage held four grams of methamphetamine. An official urine test revealed the presence of meth, MDMA and cocaine, suggesting the pilot was under the influence while piloting the aircraft.

Authorities allege he was paid 50,000 ringgit by an unidentified client to act as a drug courier for a transnational network, and they claim this is not his first attempt to smuggle narcotics into Indonesia. Under Indonesian law, drug trafficking can result in life imprisonment or the death penalty, though executions have been on hold for a decade. Malaysia Airlines said it does not tolerate such misconduct, is conducting an internal review, and will fully cooperate with Indonesian investigators.