Fake Garuda Indonesia pilot faces up to 6 years in prison for document forgery

A plane from the Garuda Indonesia fleet. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A plane from the Garuda Indonesia fleet. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Police on Friday arrested a teenager for posing as a pilot for flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, and he may be facing a lengthy prison sentence for it.

The suspect, 19-year-old Alvin Aditya, was decked out in full Garuda pilot uniform and ID as he was boarding a Garuda flight from Jakarta’s (technically Tangerang’s) Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Semarang. A real Garuda pilot thought Alvin looked suspicious and reported him to the airport’s security, eventually leading to his arrest.

After several days of questioning, police have charged Alvin with document forgery and have been able to ascertain how he was able to attain the pilot uniform and ID.

“The suspect ordered the fake Garuda ID online,” Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police Crime Investigation Unit Head James Hutajulu told reporters yesterday, as quoted by Tempo

Alvin also confessed to buying the pilot uniform through an online shop, but said he had only worn it and the ID on the day of his arrest.

Using the lead obtained from Alvin, police are now investigating into a possible online document forgery service.

Alvin could face up to six years in prison for document forgery. The teenager told the police that he “was obsessed with becoming a pilot” but failed an admission test to pilot school. 



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