Four of six suspects detained in connection with a drug-smuggling case involving a Malaysian second officer in Indonesia allegedly fled the country after learning of his arrest.
The four suspects are believed to have escaped to Thailand and Vietnam after the Malaysia Airlines second officer was arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia on July 29.
Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said all six suspects were arrested between August 20 and 28.
“Of the six suspects arrested, four were found to have fled the country — two to Thailand and another two to Vietnam.
“The two suspects who fled to Thailand were arrested when they returned to Malaysia by ferry through Kuah, Langkawi, Kedah,” he said when contacted today.
Hussein said the other two suspects who had fled to Vietnam were arrested upon their return through Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas.
The remaining two suspects were arrested separately in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, and Klang, Selangor.
All six suspects, aged between 23 and 50, are being detained under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 to assist with further investigations.
Under the law, police can detain suspects for up to 60 days to complete their investigations before a further detention order is issued.
Hussein said some findings from the investigation would also be shared with the Indonesian National Police (Polri) for further action.
The Malaysian second officer was arrested at Terminal 3 of the International Arrivals Hall at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, after arriving from Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines flight MH727.
He was detained at about 11.30pm local time after Indonesian customs officers detected suspicious luggage during an X-ray scan. He was subsequently taken to an examination room after claiming the luggage.
A search uncovered 14 packages containing 70,114 ecstasy pills weighing about 25kg in the luggage, as well as four grammes of methamphetamine in his hand luggage. The drugs were estimated to be worth RM45 million.
Indonesian police said the second officer had allegedly been promised RM50,000 to transport the drugs to Jakarta, where another individual was supposed to collect them from a hotel.
