Malaysian pilot arrested at Indonesia airport with over 70,000 ecstasy pills

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian pilot was arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle a large quantity of drugs, including more than 70,000 ecstasy pills weighing 25kg, into Indonesia recently, reports said. In reports published by Kompas.com and Suara.com, Indonesian authorities also found 2.74g of methamphetamine, as well as 0.0825g of methamphetamine residue in a glass pipe, when the suspect was arrested at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport about 11.30pm local time on Tuesday. The suspect is attached with an international airline. Indonesian Police Narcotics Crime Directorate director Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso said Customs officers decided to inspect the suspect's suitcase after detecting something suspicious during an X-ray scan at the international arrivals area. "Checks showed that officers found 14 large packages containing ecstasy and one packet containing methamphetamine," he was quoted as saying. Apart from the drugs, he said authorities also seized several items belonging to the suspect, including a backpack, Malaysian passport, Malaysian identity card, Malaysian driving licence, an iPhone and his uniform. He added that during preliminary investigations, the suspect admitted he was instructed by an individual to transport the drugs to Jakarta in exchange for RM50,000. The suspect told investigators that upon arriving in Jakarta, he would be directed by someone believed to be based in Malaysia that another person would collect the items at a hotel or accommodation. The suspect also told investigators that he had acted as a drug courier three times. The first involved transporting methamphetamine to Sabah, Malaysia. The second involved smuggling 7kg of methamphetamine into Jakarta. The third involved transporting ecstasy and methamphetamine, which was foiled by officers at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. A urine test showed that the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine. The suspect is being detained at the Bareskrim Polri detention centre to assist investigations. © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd