Malaysia Airlines pilot arrested in Jakarta with 26 kg of ecstasy, faces death penalty

Indonesian authorities arrested a Malaysia Airlines pilot at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport on 28 July 2026 after customs found roughly 26 kilograms of ecstasy — about 70,000 tablets — in his suitcase. He told authorities he was paid £9,000. He tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine. Indonesia's drug trafficking laws carry a maximum penalty of death.