KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 15): Philippine authorities said a politician from Marawi City in the country's southern island of Mindanao had allegedly chartered the Malaysia-based private jet involved in a bid to fly over half a tonne of meth from Laos to the Philippines, Bernama reports.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) spokesperson Joseph Frederick Calulut said investigators had verified the politician's involvement but declined to reveal his or her name and the amount paid to charter the jet operated by a Malaysian company at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.
PDEA chief Isagani Nerez had said earlier that a Marawi City resident identified as "Fahad" has been arrested and investigators are looking for other suspects in the case.
Last Friday, Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said a Phillipine national paid US$49,500 (RM202,323) to charter the plane from the company run by two Malaysians and two Singaporeans.
Hussein said it is believed that the Philippine national had engaged the company for the first time.
He said that the information had been shared with Philippine authorities.
On Oct 1, Laotian authorities intercepted the private jet at Luang Prabang International Airport that was loaded with 521kg of meth bound for the Philippines. Thirteen people, including the pilot, co-pilot, Filipino passengers, as well as airport and ground service staff, were arrested.
Bukit Aman believes the jet had flown from Subang empty and the drugs were loaded at Laos.
Malaysian police arrested four people at Subang airport last week, including the owner of the company. They have been released on police bail.