JAKARTA — Indonesian authorities have arrested a Malaysian airline pilot for allegedly smuggling 26 kilogrammes of the mind-altering drug MDMA into Jakarta while on duty and under the influence of drugs, the customs office said on Friday (Jul 31).

The 39-year-old pilot, identified only by the initials MS, was apprehended on Wednesday at Jakarta’s main airport. He had just flown a Malaysia Airlines plane from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta when he was taken into custody.

“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,” said customs officer Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang at a press conference on Friday.

Named a criminal suspect, the pilot had brought the MDMA in a suitcase to Jakarta at the request of an unidentified person, with the promise of a RM50,000 (US$12,240) reward, the customs office said. Customs officials discovered 14 bags of ecstasy—more than 70,000 tablets—in the pilot’s suitcase, along with 4 grammes of methamphetamine in his hand luggage.

The pilot had been under the influence of cocaine and methamphetamine, according to a urine test. “Indonesia and Malaysian authorities are in communication,” Hengky added.

This was the third time the man had smuggled drugs to Indonesia, according to Awaludin Amin, an officer with the national police’s drugs crime unit. Awaludin said police strongly suspect the pilot is part of an international syndicate. He has been charged with violating Indonesia’s drugs law and, if found guilty, risks the death penalty or a life sentence.

Malaysia Airlines declined to comment on the case as it is under investigation, but said it does not tolerate any form of misconduct and is currently conducting an internal review into the matter. The company added that it will cooperate with relevant authorities.

Indonesia has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers, but has maintained a moratorium on executions for several years. Dozens of foreign alleged traffickers are on death row, with hundreds altogether. Indonesia last carried out the death sentence in 2016, when one Indonesian and three Nigerians convicted of drug offences were executed by firing squad.