A Malaysian pilot could potentially face death penalty in Indonesia after he was caught and arrested for smuggling more than 70,000 ecstasy pills in his luggage at the Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Jakarta. The 39-year-old pilot, identified only by his initials, MSO, was arrested on Wednesday (Jul 29) shortly after arriving from Kuala Lumpur.
Though it has not been revealed which airline he worked for, the flight number indicated it was a Malaysia Airlines flight. The customs officials said they found 14 bags of ecstasy tablets in the pilot’s suitcase, in addition to four grammes of methamphetamine in his hand luggage.
While the pilot acted as a drug mule, it is believed that he was high while chauffeuring the aircraft to Jakarta. A urine test administered immediately upon his arrest returned positive results for three severe illicit substances
“The results of his urine test came back positive for meth, MDMA and cocaine,” Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang, an official at the airport customs office, was quoted as saying by AFP.
“What concerns all of us is that this person’s profession is a pilot. At the time he arrived, he had just flown that plane from Kuala Lumpur to Indonesia.”
The pilot reportedly told the investigators that he had been promised Rs 11.6 lakh (50,000 ringgit) to deliver the barcotics in Jakarta
Malaysia Airlines has declined to comment on the active investigation but emphasised its zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct. The carrier is launching an internal review and pledging full cooperation with relevant authorities.
Under Indonesian law, he risks the death penalty or life imprisonment. Indonesia has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers, but has maintained a moratorium on executions for several years.
Indonesia last carried out the death penalty in 2016, when one Indonesian and three Nigerians convicted of drug offences were executed by firing squad.
