PETALING JAYA: Bukit Aman is combing through CCTV footage and other leads to determine how a Malaysian pilot had allegedly smuggled out drugs before being caught in Indonesia, says Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan.
The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director confirmed that police were investigating how the drugs had evaded inspections here.
“We are already looking into that matter.
“This includes viewing the CCTV footages taken from the airport and the corresponding scanning images from the machines,” he said.
Indonesian media previously reported that a Malaysian pilot has been arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle about 25kg of MDMA (ecstasy) and some methamphetamine through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.
Comm Hussein had also confirmed the 39-year-old’s arrest shortly after arriving in Jakarta from Kuala Lumpur on July 28.
“The suspect was arrested there (in Indonesia) and will face action under the country’s laws,” he said previously.
It was reported that the suspect was detained after Customs officers detected suspicious images in a crew member’s luggage during an X-ray scan.
A subsequent inspection uncovered 14 packages containing 70,114 ecstasy pills weighing an estimated 25kg, along with 2.7g of methamphetamine.
The suspect also tested positive for methamphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine.
Indonesian national police criminal investigation agency (Bareskrim Polri) narcotics directorate director Brig-Gen Eko Hadi Santoso was reported as saying that preliminary investigations found the suspect admitted to acting as a drug mule for an international drug syndicate.
He said the suspect had been promised about RM50,000 by a syndicate mastermind in Malaysia to transport the drugs to Jakarta.
Investigations also revealed that this was not the first time the suspect had been involved in drug smuggling activities.
The suspect allegedly admitted to acting as a courier for the syndicate on three occasions, including delivering methamphetamine to Sabah and smuggling about 7kg of methamphetamine into Jakarta in an earlier assignment.
Meanwhile, on another matter, Comm Hussein said 1.35 tonnes of drugs worth an estimated RM108.35mil were seized at KL International Airport between January and July this year.
“A total of 121 people were arrested during the seven-month period, up from 57 suspects in the corresponding period in 2025.
“We have detected attempts by both international and local syndicates to change their modus operandi by smuggling cannabis flowers into the country,” he said.
