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Indonesian customs authorities have published a second video documenting the forensic testing of the narcotics allegedly seized from the Malaysian pilot arrested in Jakarta on suspicion of attempting to smuggle drugs
Uploaded by Soekarno-Hatta Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) on Instagram on Tuesday, 4 August, the 45-second clip shifts focus away from the arrest itself and instead shows officers analysing the substances allegedly recovered from the pilot's luggage.
One of the video's most striking moments features the word "WASTED" flashing on screen as customs officers conduct a reagent test, which the agency says returned a positive indication for methamphetamine or MDMA (ecstasy).
The 39-year-old Malaysian pilot, identified only by the initials MS, was arrested on 28 July after authorities alleged they discovered 70,114 ecstasy (MDMA) pills, weighing around 26kg, together with a small quantity of methamphetamine inside his luggage after he arrived on a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Indonesian authorities also alleged that he was under the influence of MDMA, methamphetamine, and cocaine at the time of his arrest.
This photo released by the Indonesian Customs and Excise Office on 31 July shows the Malaysian pilot accused of smuggling drugs to Indonesia.
Image via Jakarta GlobeTwo separate tests were used to analyse the suspected drugs
The footage begins with customs officers carrying out what's labelled a "Narcotics Reagent Test" on samples taken from the suspected drugs.
According to captions embedded in the video, the testing solution turned blue, which customs said indicates a positive result for methamphetamine or MDMA.
The footage then cuts to officers examining the suitcase's contents before demonstrating a Raman Spectrometer, a handheld device commonly used to identify the chemical composition of unknown substances.
A close-up of the instrument's display shows the analysed sample was identified as a mixture containing 75% MDMA hydrochloride (MDMA HCl) and 25% caffeine, with the device displaying the result as a "Mixture of 2".
According to Indonesian customs, the combined testing confirmed their suspicions
In the caption accompanying the video, Soekarno-Hatta Customs said officers first grew suspicious after physically examining the luggage recovered during the airport inspection.
Samples were then analysed using the Raman Spectrometer before undergoing a reagent test to verify the findings.
According to the agency, the combined testing confirmed the presence of MDMA, reinforcing investigators' suspicions that the luggage contained narcotics.
Customs also credited the successful interception to officers' vigilance, technological support, and cooperation among multiple law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian pilot has been remanded until at least 18 August
The pilot has been remanded for 20 days, from 30 July until 18 August, while Indonesian authorities continue their investigation, reported Malaysiakini.
The footage's release comes as investigators in both Indonesia and Malaysia continue probing the alleged cross-border trafficking operation.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said this week that Malaysian police have traced the alleged source of the drugs to an apartment in Ampang and are investigating how the luggage cleared security screening at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Investigators are also examining the suspect's alleged links to an international drug trafficking syndicate, with Malaysian authorities seeking permission from their Indonesian counterparts to interview him directly.
If convicted under Indonesia's narcotics laws, the pilot could face life imprisonment or the death penalty, with the possibility of execution by firing squad.
