Malaysian Pilot Arrested by Customs for Smuggling 26kg of Ecstasy
The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) of the Ministry of Finance has successfully thwarted a drug smuggling attempt allegedly carried out by a Malaysian pilot at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Friday (31/07/2026). Working alongside airport authorities, the DJBC intercepted an international drug network shipment consisting of 70,114 ecstasy pills, weighing a net 25.19 kg and packed in 14 plastic bags, alongside 4 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
The Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budhi Utama, stated that Customs had detected the smuggling attempt by a Malaysian pilot on 29 July 2026. During a press conference on Friday, Djaka confirmed that the prevention and enforcement actions were successfully executed.
Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang, Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Customs Main Service Office, detailed the chronology of the enforcement. He explained that authorities were monitoring the arrival of flight MH-727 from Malaysia. During X-ray inspections at International Arrival Terminal 3, officers became suspicious of a suitcase carried by a Malaysian national, identified by the initials MS, who was dressed in a co-pilot uniform.
Following intelligence analysis, the 39-year-old Malaysian national was inspected, revealing 14 packages of ecstasy and 4 grams of methamphetamine in his bag. Authorities suspect the methamphetamine was for personal use, while the ecstasy was intended for distribution within Indonesia. Initial interrogations revealed that the suspect claimed he was instructed to transport the narcotics to Jakarta in exchange for 50,000 Malaysian Ringgit. Upon arrival in Jakarta, the drugs were intended to be collected by an individual whose identity is currently being investigated and who is also suspected to be a Malaysian national.
The suspect also admitted to having previously transported narcotics on two occasions: once to Sabah and once during a shipment that was intercepted in Jakarta. Investigators are currently deepening their probe into these claims. To follow up on the discovery, Customs is coordinating with the Sub-directorate II of the Narcotics Crime Directorate of the National Police (Bareskrim Polri) to uncover the wider network involved. The suspect and the evidence have been handed over to Bareskrim Polri for further investigation. This operation is estimated to have saved approximately 130,020 lives from potential drug abuse and prevented potential social and economic losses valued at Rp207.9 billion.