MAS Pilot held after allegedly flying jet while high on drugs

Customs seize 70,000 ecstasy pills after landing in Indonesia

A Malaysian airline pilot has been arrested in Indonesia after allegedly flying a passenger jet while under the influence of multiple drugs before customs officers discovered more than 70,000 ecstasy pills in his luggage.

Indonesian customs officials said the 39-year-old pilot, identified only by the initials MSO, had just landed a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta when officers searched his baggage.

They allegedly found 14 bags containing more than 70,000 MDMA tablets, along with a small quantity of methamphetamine in his hand luggage, which investigators believe was for personal use.

Drug tests reveal multiple substances

Officials said urine tests carried out immediately after the flight were positive for methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine.

"What concerns all of us is that this person's profession is a pilot, and at the time he arrived, he had just flown that plane from Kuala Lumpur to Indonesia," customs official Hengky Tomuan Palindungan Artionang told reporters.

Investigators believe the pilot was acting as a drug courier and had agreed to transport the drugs in return for a payment of around 50,000 Malaysian ringgit (£9,000).

Faces life sentence or execution

The suspect has been charged under Indonesia's strict anti-drug laws, which carry penalties ranging from life imprisonment to the death sentence for major trafficking offences.

Investigators said the pilot admitted making previous drug-smuggling trips, including another journey into Indonesia and one into Malaysia.

Although customs officials did not identify the airline, the flight number indicated the aircraft was operated by Malaysia Airlines.

The carrier said it would not comment while the investigation was ongoing but confirmed it has launched an internal review and would fully cooperate with Indonesian authorities.

SOURCE

Why let British pilots have all the fun? ☺️

Maybe he was going to a rave in Bali where UK DJs play bad music way too loud like on Koh Phagan ❓

a well known side effect of ecstacy

The End of a Great Career with Life behind Bars!!

2 stripes usually are for the rank as a Co-Pilot, if I am not mistaken.

I guess, now he goes with the rank as High-Flyer.

3 hours ago, Dan747 said:

The End of a Great Career with Life behind Bars!!

If he behaves well, the only Planes he will EVER fly again are those on MSFS24 on PS5✈️

45 minutes ago, Beat666 said:

2 stripes usually are for the rank as a Co-Pilot, if I am not mistaken.

I guess, now he goes with the rank as High-Flyer.

Yes, co-pilot at 2nd officer rank. Wings and cap badge look to be MAS.

Not what this airline really needs right now. Stupid boy, Pike.

Edited August 2Aug 2 by nauseus

Flying a jumbo jet on E must be a great trip! But be clean for testing if you're going to mule.

Usually crew bags are not searched. A tip?

Legalise all of it!

2 hours ago, Beat666 said:

If he behaves well, the only Planes he will EVER fly again are those on MSFS24 on PS5✈️

MSFS24 = Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

PS5 = Sony Playstation 5

8 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Flying a jumbo jet on E must be a great trip! But be clean for testing if you're going to mule.

Usually crew bags are not searched. A tip?

Legalise all of it!

What is wrong with you? You have no regard for accuracy or honesty. Everything that you post contains factual errors that misleads the reader.

1. There is nothing to even remotely suggest the flying officer pilot was in control of a "jumbo" jet. MAS uses the narrow body B737-8 on its 2 hour shuttle corridor between KUL and CGK.

2. Crew bags are searched, just like passenger bags. Air Crews typically have a small carry-on for the KUL-CGK route. The bags pass through the x-ray machine, and the personnel pass through the body scanner. There are detection dogs on patrol.

   As for legalising chemical compounds, there is no medical, social, nor legal case to be made to legalise the trade of toxic chemicals.

At least the plane didn't disappear.

Damnit...it was such a smooth landing too.

On 8/2/2026 at 10:47 AM, Beat666 said:

2 stripes usually are for the rank as a Co-Pilot, if I am not mistaken.

I guess, now he goes with the rank as High-Flyer.

Yep. First officer.

Utter pratt.

12 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Damnit...it was such a smooth landing too.

Captain's landing.

We always called the bumpy ones First Officer's landings.