Pilot Arrested in Indonesia Believed to Have Obtained Drugs in Ampang
SHAH ALAM: Police believe that a pilot arrested in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs obtained the supply at an apartment in Ampang before departing for Jakarta last Wednesday.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) Director, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, said investigations found that the suspect first checked in luggage containing drugs at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) before boarding a flight to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
He said that the suspect then returned to KLIA on the same day before boarding a flight to Jakarta at night, reported Berita Harian.
“Police detected the suspect collecting the drug supply at an apartment area in Ampang and we have also identified the phone number he contacted.
“The suspect is believed to have made an early luggage check‑in at KLIA before departing to Kota Kinabalu. After that, he returned to KLIA and continued his flight to Jakarta at night,” he said at a press conference at the Selangor Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK) today.
Hussein said that police are now investigating how the luggage containing the drugs could have passed through airport security checks.
According to him, the investigation is focused on three main aspects, namely the source of the drug supply within the country, the process of luggage passing through security screening at the country’s exit point, as well as the possibility of the suspect’s involvement with an international drug smuggling syndicate based in Indonesia.
He said that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is also cooperating with the Indonesian National Police (POLRI) and the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN) to complete the investigation.
“We are waiting for approval from POLRI to interview the suspect. As soon as approval is obtained, the investigation team will depart for Indonesia,” he said.
Hussein said that police records show several cases involving pilots as drug mules have been recorded previously, including one drug smuggling case to Australia in 2012 and two other cases in 2017.
Media Selangor