Five Of Carrier's Pilots Arrested In Past Two Months

For the fifth time in two months, a pilot for Indonesian carrier Lion Air has been arrested for allegedly using illegal drugs. In Saturday's arrest, Indonesian police say 44-year-old Syaiful Salam was caught in a hotel room in Surabaya city with a small amount of methamphetamine. They also charge a urine test showed he'd used the drug. At the time of his arrest, he was scheduled to fly in three hours.

The AP reports the airline has not commented. Compounding an existing commercial pilot shortage in Asia, Lion Air is going through rapid growth, and in November placed an order for 230 Boeing airliners, that manufacturer's largest order ever.

National Anti-Narcotics Agency spokesman Sumirat Dwi Santoso on Sunday told TempoInteractive.com, "We are still investigating...whether Syaiful Salam is only a user or also a dealer."

Benny Mamoto, the agency's narcotics division director, said a tip which led to the arrest came from Hanum Adhyaksa, one of the Lion Air pilots previously charged with illegal drug use, and adds, "He said there are others."

FMI: www2.lionair.co.id/Default.aspx