Six held over Malaysian co-pilot’s Jakarta drug case after four fled to Thailand, Vietnam and returned

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Malaysian authorities have detained six individuals in connection with a drug smuggling case involving a Malaysian co-pilot arrested at an airport in Indonesia. The suspects, aged between 23 and 50, were apprehended in a special operation conducted by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department of Bukit Aman between August 20 and 28.

Four of the suspects had fled to Thailand and Vietnam following the co-pilot's arrest at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. The detained individuals are believed to have acted as suppliers and couriers for the co-pilot, according to the JSJN director, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan. Two suspects fled to Thailand and were later arrested upon their return to Malaysia, while the other two went to Vietnam and were detained upon arrival at Penang International Airport.

The remaining two were arrested in Penang and Selangor. The co-pilot was arrested at Tangerang, Indonesia, after Indonesian customs officers detected drugs during an X-ray scan at the airport. The drugs, estimated to be worth RM45 million, included 70,114 ecstasy pills and four grammes of methamphetamine. The investigation, conducted under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985, allows for suspects to be detained for up to 60 days before a further detention order is issued.

JSJN plans to share the information obtained from the investigation with the Indonesian National Police.