No inside help: Pilot acted alone in KLIA security breach before Jakarta drug arrest

 

Preliminary investigations found no insider involvement or collusion in helping the 39-year-old suspect evade security checks, says NCID director. FILE PIC

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Airlines pilot arrested in Indonesia for alleged drug smuggling acted alone in bypassing security checks at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), said Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan.

Hussein said preliminary investigations found no insider involvement or collusion that had assisted the suspect in getting through airport security.

Speaking to BuletinTV3, he said the finding was established following an interrogation by a special task force from Bukit Aman that was dispatched to Jakarta.

"Based on our interrogation, there is no indication of insider involvement at KLIA. He acted alone in bypassing the security inspection.

"We are currently examining how the suspect managed to evade detection during the checks," he said.

However, details of the exact method used by the suspect to bypass security screening were withheld to avoid jeopardising the ongoing investigation.

On July 28, the 39-year-old Malaysian pilot was arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta after authorities reportedly seized 15 packets containing about 70,000 capsules suspected to be ecstasy and methamphetamine, weighing about 25kg and estimated to be worth RM45 million.

Indonesian police revealed that the pilot had been promised RM50,000 to act as a courier for the shipment.

Hussein added that interrogations conducted in Jakarta had also uncovered wider international and domestic drug syndicate operations linked to the suspect.

"He has disclosed information regarding several syndicates operating in Malaysia and other countries, including Indonesia.

"The police will further investigate the involvement of other network members, including financial trails associated with the illicit drug trade," he said. - NST