KUALA LUMPUR: A private jet allegedly used to smuggle 521kg of suspected methamphetamine from Laos to the Philippines was booked for US$49,500 (RM202,375).
Police are looking for the Filipino suspect, who had booked the aircraft supposedly to transport goods described as “vape” products, as drug syndicates appear to be turning to private aviation amid tighter airport security.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said a Filipino believed to be linked to the syndicate booked the flight on Sept 23, about a week before Laotian authorities seized the drugs at Luang Prabang International Airport on Oct 1.
“The flight manifest initially stated that the aircraft was chartered to transport goods described as ‘vape’ products from Laos to Manila,” he said yesterday.
The aircraft departed Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport in Subang without cargo before arriving in Laos at about 11.30am.
At about 1.30pm, two vehicles arrived carrying 23 bags, which were subsequently transferred onto the jet, he added.
Comm Hussein said police had already shared information with the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency to trace the individual, who was believed to be in the Philippines.
“We are still investigating whether the activity was confined to Laos and the Philippines or whether there was also an attempt to bring the drugs into Malaysia,” he said, adding that police were also investigating whether the aircraft’s owner was involved or had been unaware that the company’s services were being misused.
The Laos-bound flight was its eighth booking out of nine received.
Its lawyer said the company had never sanctioned the transport of narcotics or contraband.
Comm Hussein said syndicates appeared to be changing their tactics after security controls at Kuala Lumpur International Airport were tightened.
“When we tightened security at KLIA, they began changing their tactics,” he said, adding that police had previously detected indications that syndicates were using Ipoh Airport before turning to private jets.
In an unrelated case, Comm Hussein said three drug syndicates were crippled in separate operations in Perak, Selangor and Kedah, with drugs worth RM25.68mil seized and 15 suspects nabbed.
He said under Ops Tebuan, seven suspects were arrested in raids between Sept 1 and Oct 4, with 210.32kg of methamphetamine and cannabis worth RM18.16mil seized.
“The first suspect was arrested outside Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh on Sept 1, when police seized 26.2kg of cannabis packed in 50 transparent packages.
“Six more suspects were arrested in subsequent raids in Selangor and Kedah on Sept 30 and Oct 4, with police seizing 210.32kg of methamphetamine and cannabis worth RM18.16mil.”
