Pilot flew plane while high: Pilot smuggled over 70,000 ecstasy pills
A civilian pilot for "Malaysia Airlines" was arrested at Jakarta airport after 26 kg of drugs were discovered in his suitcase. Indonesian authorities were stunned to discover that the pilot had flown the plane under the influence of cocaine and ecstasy. He now faces a possible death penalty after admitting he exploited lenient screening procedures.
Indonesian law enforcement authorities arrested on Friday a pilot for the national airline "Malaysia Airlines," accused of a massive smuggling operation of over 26 kilograms of ecstasy and a package of methamphetamine. However, the most disturbing detail of the case was revealed when it emerged that the pilot had operated the passenger flight from Jakarta while under the influence of hard drugs.
The pilot, a 39-year-old Malaysian citizen identified by the initials M.S., was caught late Tuesday evening at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. Customs officials, who were X-raying the luggage of passengers from flight MH727 from Kuala Lumpur, noticed a suspicious suitcase. Shortly thereafter, the pilot arrived to collect it.
He was immediately taken to a side room for a search, where investigators were stunned to find no less than 14 giant packages containing more than 70,000 ecstasy pills (with a total weight of about 26 kg), alongside a package of methamphetamine.
"He was declared a suspect and arrested," said Eko Hadi Santoso, head of the drug crimes department of the Indonesian police, at a press conference where the seized drugs were displayed. "Investigators are continuing to work to uncover the smuggling network above him."
The shock intensified after a routine drug test conducted on the pilot upon his arrest returned positive for methamphetamine, ecstasy, and cocaine – proving that he was under the influence while flying the plane.
During his interrogation, the pilot admitted that he had been instructed by a third party to transport the drugs to Jakarta in exchange for 50,000 Malaysian ringgit (about $11,700). He was instructed to wait at his hotel until receiving further instructions from a party in Malaysia, while another person was supposed to collect the shipment from him. He further admitted that this was not the first time: he had previously served as a courier on two different occasions, in which he transported kilograms of methamphetamine to other cities in Asia.
The pilot is currently being investigated under Indonesia's strict drug laws, which include severe penalties for trafficking in commercial quantities – foremost among them the death penalty.
A security breach exploited
"Malaysia Airlines" stated in response that it is cooperating with the authorities and has launched an internal investigation: "We have zero tolerance for any kind of misconduct. Safety, security, and integrity are our top priorities."
The head of customs at the airport, Hengky Tomuan Perlindungan Aritonang, explained that the smuggling network cynically exploited the security loophole for flight crew members. "During check-in in Kuala Lumpur, the suitcase went through a different route because it was marked with a crew member's luggage tag," he noted. "The smugglers exploited the privileges granted to airline crews around the world, which allow them to pass through airports using different procedures than those of regular passengers."
The incident in Indonesia joins a similar event that occurred recently, when Australian police in June arrested a Thai airline employee who tried to smuggle more than a kilogram of heroin into Melbourne Airport during her shift on an international flight.
