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SHAH ALAM – Indonesian authorities have released closed-circuit television footage detailing the arrest of a 39-year-old Malaysian pilot who allegedly attempted to smuggle more than 25 kilogrammes of ecstasy through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.
The video, posted on the official Instagram account of Indonesia’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai), depicts the suspect dressed in his airline uniform as he arrived at Terminal 3 on 29 July.
Footage shows the pilot retrieving a large silver hard-shell suitcase from the baggage carousel while pulling a second black bag, before heading towards the customs clearance area.
Although he attempted to utilise the fast-track lane designated specifically for flight crew, customs officers redirected him to an inspection room after flagging him through risk profiling and behavioural analysis.
Upon physical examination of the silver suitcase, officers removed several items of clothing to discover multiple brown packages concealed beneath.
Inspections confirmed the haul contained between 25 and 26 kilogrammes of ecstasy, estimated at 70,114 pills with a market value of Rp60 billion (RM13.6 million), alongside four grammes of methamphetamine.
Additionally, officers seized a small bottle containing fake urine, which investigators suspect was intended to manipulate drug testing results during inspection. Subsequent drug tests revealed that the pilot tested positive for MDMA, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect was offered RM50,000 to execute the smuggling operation and had previously exploited crew baggage privileges to traffic narcotics into the country.
Bea Cukai highlighted that the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of their multi-layered enforcement system, which relies on officer observation, X-ray screening and risk-based profiling rather than standard clearance routines.
Following the arrest, the suspect and all seized evidence were transferred to the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) to facilitate further investigations aimed at dismantling the broader trafficking syndicate and identifying the mastermind behind the scheme.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta confirmed it had received official notification from Bareskrim and is currently liaising with Indonesian officials to secure consular access to the detained pilot.
Separately, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd reaffirmed its commitment to supporting multi-agency border security initiatives and pledged to offer full cooperation to enforcement agencies handling the case.
