Foreign Pilot Arrested at Airport, Re-apprehended for Smuggling Ecstasy into Jakarta

A foreign pilot, identified as MBSO, has been arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta for allegedly attempting to smuggle 25 kilograms of ecstasy into Indonesia. The arrest occurred when customs officers at Terminal 3 detected a suspicious suitcase during an X-ray scan of international passenger baggage. According to Brig. Gen. Pol. Eko Hadi Santoso, Director of Narcotics Crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim Polri), MBSO was reportedly instructed by an individual based in Malaysia to transport the ecstasy to Jakarta, with an agreed payment of 50,000 ringgit. Upon arrival in Jakarta, he was to be directed by someone to pick up the package at a hotel. Further investigation revealed that MBSO had a history of drug smuggling, having previously transported methamphetamine to Sabah, Malaysia, and 7 kilograms of methamphetamine to Jakarta. The current arrest marks his third attempt, involving both ecstasy and methamphetamine. Urine tests conducted on the suspect showed positive results for methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), and cocaine. The case has now entered the investigation phase, and the suspect is being held at the Bareskrim Polri detention center. He faces charges under Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics. This incident highlights the ongoing challenge of international drug trafficking into Indonesia and underscores the critical role of airport security in preventing the entry of illicit substances. Source: Liputan6