Pilot flew while high: smuggled over 70,000 ecstasy pills

A civilian pilot for Malaysia Airlines was arrested in Jakarta after 26 kg of ecstasy and over 70,000 pills, along with methamphetamine, were found in his luggage. He admitted to flying under the influence of drugs and to having been a courier in the past. He faces the death penalty in Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities arrested a 39-year-old Malaysian civilian pilot for Malaysia Airlines, identified by the initials M.S., on suspicion of massive drug smuggling. The arrest took place at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta after customs officials spotted a suspicious suitcase during X-ray screening of baggage from flight MH727 from Kuala Lumpur. The suitcase contained 14 packages holding more than 70,000 ecstasy pills weighing about 26 kg in total, along with a package of methamphetamine. A routine drug test administered to the pilot upon arrest came back positive for methamphetamine, ecstasy, and cocaine, proving he was under the influence during the flight. In his interrogation, the pilot admitted that he was instructed by a third party to transport the drugs to Jakarta in exchange for 50,000 Malaysian ringgit (about $11,700), and that this was not the first time – he had previously served as a courier in two different cases. He is being investigated under Indonesia's strict drug laws, which include the death penalty for trafficking commercial quantities. Malaysia Airlines stated that it is cooperating with authorities and has launched an internal investigation. The head of customs explained that the smuggling network exploited the security loophole for aircrew members, who are entitled to relaxed screening procedures.