Malaysian authorities freeze assets of second pilot linked to drug seizure case

Authorities in Kuala Lumpur have frozen the bank accounts and other financial assets of a second pilot suspected of serving as a go-between for a Malaysia Airlines co-pilot and an international drug network. The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, led by Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, said the pilot helped transfer money generated from a seizure of about RM45 million worth of ecstasy and methamphetamine at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

The suspect, a Malaysian man in his 30s, was arrested in the Klang Valley on September 7 and is being held for 60 days under special preventive measures, not under the standard Dangerous Drugs Act. Police are scrutinising his financial records but have not revealed the sums involved. The investigation has already led to six other Malaysian men being detained for roles as suppliers and transporters. The case will be referred to an Advisory Board to decide whether the detention should be extended for up to two years.