TANGERANG - Indonesian police said they detained a Malaysian pilot after customs officers found more than 25 kilograms of drugs in his luggage at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
The suspect, identified only by the initials MSBO, was arrested on July 28, 2026, during a security check at Terminal 3, according to a police account published by Antara, Indonesia’s state-owned news agency.
Officers inspected his luggage after detecting a suspicious object and found 14 large packages of ecstasy and one package of methamphetamine.
Brig. Gen. Eko Hadi Santoso, director of drug crimes at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, said the seizure contained 70,114 capsules with a net weight of 25,194.83 grams. The report did not provide a separate weight for the methamphetamine package.
Police said the suspect was paid 50,000 Malaysian ringgit to transport the drugs into Indonesia. The payment was allegedly arranged by a contact in Malaysia. Santoso said another person, also believed to be in Malaysia, was expected to provide instructions after the pilot arrived in Jakarta.
“An accomplice would collect the drugs at his hotel,” Santoso said.
Police also alleged that the pilot had previously completed two drug-smuggling operations. The first reportedly involved transporting drugs to Sabah, Malaysia, while the second allegedly involved carrying seven kilograms of methamphetamine to Jakarta.
Santoso said a urine test detected traces of ecstasy and methamphetamine. ANTARA’s report identified MSBO as a Malaysian pilot but did not name an airline, identify his employer or state that he was travelling while on duty.
The suspect is being held at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency’s detention facility while investigators continue examining the case. Police said he faces narcotics-trafficking charges.
Those claims form part of the continuing investigation and have not been tested in court. No court has ruled on the allegations.
