Bukit Aman Team Heading to Jakarta to Probe Pilot's Link to Drug Ring

A team of investigators and intelligence officers from the Bukit Aman narcotics crime investigation department (NCID) will be in Jakarta from Aug 11 to 15 to complete investigations into a Malaysian pilot detained in Indonesia over alleged drug smuggling.

NCID director Hussein Omar Khan said the team would examine the overall aspect of the drug distribution.

"This includes where the suspect got his supply, which syndicate was involved, how he managed to pass the security screening at KLIA, and his connection with the syndicate in Indonesia," he told Bernama.

Hussein said it was important to identify the entire distribution chain, including the possibility of involvement of other parties.

He added that Malaysia will not request to extradite the pilot as he must face legal proceedings in Indonesia.

The 39-year-old pilot was detained by Indonesian authorities at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle 25kg of drugs.

It was reported that an inspection found 15 packages containing 70,114 ecstasy and methamphetamine capsules, estimated to have a street value of about RM45 million.

In a related development, Hussein said police recorded statements from two members of KLIA's aviation security (Avsec) two days ago as part of the investigation.

He said no arrests have been made so far, but investigations found that the Avsec officers had no direct connection with the suspect.

On the arrest of another Malaysian man, aged 22, at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Hussein said police are investigating the possibility of a connection between the two cases.

He also said the investigation into the Surabaya case was quite challenging as police believed the syndicate involved used third-party information for phone number registration and communicated through social media to avoid detection.