JAKARTA, Aug 4 — Another Malaysian has been arrested in Indonesia within days for allegedly attempting to smuggle nearly one kilogramme of methamphetamine and more than 1,000 ecstasy pills concealed beneath a corset into Indonesia through Juanda International Airport in East Java.

Juanda Naval Air Base (Lanudal Juanda) Commander Col Henoch Nasarius Virzawan said the 22-year-old suspect was arrested after customs officers acted on information on the morning of July 29 that a passenger arriving from Kuala Lumpur was suspected of carrying narcotics.

“An X-ray screening of the suspect’s baggage found nothing suspicious, prompting officers to conduct a body search that uncovered the drugs strapped to his body beneath a black corset,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Henoch said the drugs, estimated to be worth Rp2.9 billion (RM658,460), comprised 990 grammes of methamphetamine and 1,089 ecstasy pills packed in eight bundles.

“The seizure is estimated to have prevented about 6,584 people from falling victim to narcotics abuse,” he said.

The arrest came days after Indonesian authorities detained a 39-year-old Malaysian pilot in a separate case involving about 25 kilogrammes of ecstasy allegedly found in his luggage upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Henoch attributed the interception to close coordination among naval security, customs, immigration, airport security and other agencies at Juanda Airport, adding that the Indonesian Navy would continue strengthening cooperation with airport authorities to tighten security and prevent drug smuggling by air. — Bernama