KUALA LUMPUR: Six men have been detained in connection with a drug trafficking case involving a Malaysian pilot who was arrested in Indonesia for allegedly smuggling drugs worth RM45mil.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan (pic) said four of the six suspects tried to flee the country after learning of the 39-year-old co-pilot’s arrest at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.
“All six suspects, aged between 23 and 50, were arrested in a special operation conducted by the NCID between Aug 20 and 28.
“Of the six, who are all Malaysians, four were found to have fled overseas, with two going to Thailand and another two to Vietnam,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Comm Hussein said the duo who fled to Thailand were arrested after returning to Malaysia via ferry in Kuah, Langkawi.
The two who fled to Vietnam were arrested upon their return at Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas.
“The other two suspects were arrested in Bukit Mertajam and Klang,” he said.
The six were arrested based on information obtained during the questioning of the pilot by a team of NCID officers sent to Jakarta on Aug 11 to 15.
The suspects are believed to be suppliers and couriers who provided drugs to the pilot.
They are held under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act, which allows police to detain suspects for up to 60 days to facilitate investigations before further detention orders are issued.
Comm Hussein said some of the findings from the investigation would be shared with the Indonesian National Police.
The pilot was detained at the international arrival hall of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after arriving from Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH727 in July.
Indonesian customs officers found 14 packages containing 70,114 ecstasy pills weighing about 25kg in his luggage, as well as 4g of methamphetamine in his carry-on belongings.
In a separate case, Comm Hussein confirmed that a 62-year-old Malaysian man from Selangor was detained in India after 3.42kg of hydroponic cannabis was found in a secret compartment of his luggage at Chennai International Airport.
NCID was informed by India’s Narcotics Control Bureau about the arrest of the suspect, who had travelled from KL International Airport Terminal 2 on Aug 31.
