Malaysian police investigate how pilot smuggled drugs past 4 layers of airport checks

Malaysian police have identified a security screener at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) as a person of interest after investigating a pilot who allegedly smuggled over 70,000 Ecstasy pills past four layers of airport checks. The drugs were intercepted in Jakarta. The police stated that the airport employee responsible for screening the pilot's suitcase would be questioned and may face legal action.

This incident has raised concerns about the distinction between airport security screening for weapons and explosives, and customs enforcement for narcotics. Transport Minister Anthony Loke has been asked to explain how the pilot's luggage passed through KLIA's screening system. The pilot obtained the drugs from a flat in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, two days prior to his arrest.

He checked the suitcase at KLIA, flew to Kota Kinabalu, returned, and then departed for Jakarta with the same baggage, according to local media. Malaysia's Border Control and Protection Agency stated that the pilot and his baggage passed all required checks before departure, with no suspicious images or secondary inspections triggered.

The Malaysia Airports' Aviation Security system, responsible for the X-ray screening, is designed to detect explosives, weapons, and other flight-safety threats. The airline stated that they have intercepted over 30 attempts to move illegal substances through KLIA between January and July. Indonesia's customs agency intercepted the drugs at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, where officers became suspicious of the suitcase while monitoring international arrivals through an X-ray machine.

The pilot tested positive for MDMA, methamphetamine, and cocaine after operating a flight with passengers. He admitted to three previous drug runs and claimed he was promised 50,000 ringgit to deliver the consignment.