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Malaysian police have traced the alleged source of the drugs linked to the Malaysian pilot arrested in Indonesia to an apartment in Ampang
Speaking at a press conference earlier today, 4 August, Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said investigators had established where the suspect allegedly collected the narcotics before flying to Jakarta.
"We are looking at the entire spectrum of the distribution activities. Firstly, we are investigating how he obtained the supply in the country," he said.
"We detected that he collected the supply from an apartment in Ampang. We have also obtained the telephone number that was contacted."
The 39-year-old pilot was arrested by Indonesian authorities on 28 July after allegedly attempting to smuggle 70,114 ecstasy (MDMA) pills weighing around 26kg, along with a small amount of methamphetamine, into Jakarta.
Authorities estimate the seized narcotics are worth around 60 billion rupiah (approximately RM13.5 million).
The pilot allegedly flew to Kota Kinabalu and back before continuing to Jakarta, where he was arrested with the drugs
Hussein said police are also investigating how the luggage allegedly containing the drugs managed to pass through security screening at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the second major focus of the probe alongside the suspect's alleged links to an international trafficking syndicate operating in Indonesia.
According to Hussein, investigators found that the pilot arrived at KLIA on the morning of 28 July and checked in the suitcase allegedly containing the drugs before temporarily leaving the airport.
"He then flew to Kota Kinabalu, returned to Kuala Lumpur and later departed for Jakarta with the luggage," Hussein said, describing the unusual travel movements as part of the wider syndicate investigation.
Meanwhile, Hussein said Bukit Aman is working closely with both the Indonesian National Police (POLRI) and Indonesia's National Narcotics Agency (BNN) to determine the full extent of the cross-border network.
The suspect remains in Indonesian custody after being detained by customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, with criminal proceedings there being handled by Indonesian police.
Malaysian investigators are now seeking permission from Indonesian authorities to interview the suspect directly.
"The purpose is to gather further information from the Indonesian authorities and assist in our ongoing investigations," Hussein said.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan.
Image via Aziah Azmee/New Straits TimesHe's the fourth pilot linked to drug trafficking in Malaysia since 2012
Bukit Aman records show this is the fourth known case since 2012 involving a pilot allegedly used as a drug courier.
Hussein said the first known case involved a pilot arrested while transporting drugs to Australia in 2012, followed by two more pilot-related trafficking cases in 2017 involving personnel from other airlines.
The latest case has drawn heightened attention because Indonesian authorities allege the pilot flew a Malaysian airline company's passenger flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta while under the influence of MDMA, methamphetamine, and cocaine before being stopped during customs screening.
Investigations are continuing in both Malaysia and Indonesia to identify other individuals believed to be involved in the alleged trafficking network.
