A Singaporean pilot was among 13 people detained in Laos after police uncovered 521 kilogrammes of suspected crystal methamphetamine in luggage intended for a private jet travelling to the Philippines.
The major drug seizure took place at Luang Prabang International Airport on October 1, involving a Learjet that had arrived from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Malaysia.
Among those detained were the Singaporean pilot, a co-pilot and a Filipino passenger. Ten Lao nationals, including airport ground-handling and X-ray screening personnel, were also taken into custody.
According to Malaysian police, the private aircraft departed Subang without carrying any cargo and was believed to be collecting a drug shipment in Laos for transport to Manila.
Hussein Omar Khan, director of Malaysia’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID), said investigators believed the drugs were intended for the Philippine market rather than Malaysia.
The investigation began after Lao provincial police received intelligence on September 21 about a suspected international trafficking network planning to transport narcotics using private aircraft.
Officers subsequently monitored the Learjet’s arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport on October 1.
About two hours after the aircraft arrived, two vehicles entered the airport area carrying 23 suitcases. Airport workers then transferred the luggage onto trolleys for the intended flight.
During an inspection, police discovered 500 packages of suspected crystal methamphetamine weighing 521 kilogrammes. The drugs were concealed inside 21 of the 23 suitcases.
Police detained 13 people in connection with the suspected smuggling operation, including the aircraft’s crew and passengers.
Malaysian police subsequently launched a separate investigation to determine whether the trafficking network had connections to individuals operating in Malaysia.
The investigation expanded on October 7 when Malaysian enforcement officers raided an aircraft hangar at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.
Four additional people were detained while preparing for a flight and handed over to narcotics investigators.
According to Free Malaysia Today, a pilot was among those detained, alongside a co-pilot and two female crew members. The outlet reported that the pilot owned a company operating aircraft linked to the Laos investigation, citing unnamed sources.
Malaysian officials confirmed the four detentions but did not publicly identify those involved.
However, Singapore-based charter operator CGT Asia Limited has disputed reports that the drugs were loaded onto its aircraft.
In a statement issued on October 7, the company’s chief executive said the Filipino passenger had informed the crew that he intended to collect luggage containing vape products during the stop in Laos before continuing to Manila.
The crew were reportedly unaware that the passenger intended to collect approximately 23 pieces of luggage.
The executive said the crew raised safety concerns about the unusually large quantity of baggage, including the aircraft’s weight capacity and the potential presence of dangerous goods.
According to the company, the luggage was refused and never loaded onto the Learjet. The crew also denied knowing that the baggage allegedly contained illicit drugs before Lao police intervened.
Police in Laos and Malaysia are continuing to investigate the suspected trafficking operation. No charges or findings of guilt against the detained pilots have been confirmed in the available reports.
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