Cops freeze bank accounts of 2nd pilot in Indonesian drug smuggling case

 NCID chief Hussein Omar Khan says investigators are examining the pilot’s bank accounts and other financial records.

NCID director Hussein Omar Khan said the second pilot, believed to be linked to the case of the first pilot arrested in Jakarta in July, will be held for 60 days under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Police have frozen the bank accounts and financial assets of a second pilot detained over a drug smuggling syndicate linked to the arrest of a Malaysia Airlines pilot in Jakarta in July.

Narcotics crime investigation department director Hussein Omar Khan said the pilot, suspected of acting as a middleman between the Malaysia Airlines pilot and a drug syndicate, will be held for 60 days under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985.

Hussein said investigators are examining the pilot’s bank accounts and other financial records, though he did not disclose the amount of money found in the accounts.

“He (the second pilot) is part of a syndicate involved in the flow of money from drug sales. He played a role in helping the (first) pilot receive and transfer the money,” Berita Harian quoted him as saying.

The pilot, in his 30s, was arrested in the Klang Valley on Sept 7, bringing the number of people arrested in Malaysia in connection with the case to seven.

The first Malaysia Airlines pilot was arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta on July 29 after being found in possession of 25kg of ecstasy pills and 2.7g of methamphetamine.

On Sept 4, police said they arrested six other Malaysian men following questioning of the 39-year-old pilot by a team of Bukit Aman officers from Aug 11 to 15. - FMT