[UPDATED]: Ex-pilot with drug record, foreign woman identified in Laos private jet drug probe

Malaysian police have identified two individuals, a former pilot with a drug-related criminal record and a foreign woman, as part of an international drug trafficking syndicate. The syndicate was linked to the seizure of over half a tonne of methamphetamine aboard a private jet in Laos. The former pilot, who is 54 years old, chartered the aircraft through a Malaysian broker.

The woman, aged 51, is believed to have acted as the syndicate's coordinator. The investigation also led to the detention of a Malaysian pilot at Luang Prabang International Airport.

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