KUALA LUMPUR — A commercial airline pilot caught at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport with over 26kg of illicit drugs faces an extended stay behind bars after Indonesian authorities secured a 30-day extension to his detention order.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that the suspect completed his initial 60-day detention period, but Indonesian investigators requested more time to finalize their probe.
“The suspect is now being held under a court order for another 30 days.
“This period can then be extended by another 30 days,” Hussein said, citing the latest briefing from Indonesian counterparts.
The high-profile bust unfolded on July 29 when Indonesian officials intercepted the Malaysia Airlines pilot carrying more than 70,000 ecstasy pills and 2.7g of methamphetamine. The pilot was reportedly promised RM50,000 to act as a drug mule for the syndicate.
Following the initial arrest, a team of Bukit Aman officers flew to Jakarta to interrogate the pilot between Aug 11 and 15, unravelling a wider cross-border syndicate operating across local aviation circles.
The investigation triggered a wave of arrests in Malaysia last month, resulting in the detainment of seven individuals—including a second pilot employed by a different commercial airline.
Hussein confirmed that all seven suspects arrested locally have been placed under a 60-day detention order under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 as local police continue dismantling the syndicate’s operations. – October 3, 2026