"The raid was led by BNN officers from Jakarta, along with BNN officers from East Java and officers from the East Java Regional Police Command`s Directorate of Narcotics," the chief of BNN East Java, Senior Commissioner Jan De Fretes, said.
Police confiscated a packet of meth weighing 0.4 gram from the pilot, known by his initials SS. SS is reportedly 44 years-old and resides in Serpong,Tangerang, Banten, De Fretes said when the raid was carried out, SS was found alone in the room. Before the raid, based upon initial information, he was playing cards with three friends. The three people were also interrogated.
"The three, however, were found to have negative drug tests, so we released them and only arrested SS for further interrogation," he said.
He said the interrogation would not be done in East Java, but by Central BNN personnel in Jakarta.
"He has been taken to Jakarta and the examination will be done there. We will continue to take preventive measures against narcotics distribution among various circles, especially in East Java," De Fretes said.
The arrest was made following the development of a case in Makassar in January 2012 in which a pilot from the same airline was arrested after testing positive for using narcotics.
"It is hoped no more pilots would dare consume any kind of narcotics. This is very dangerous and has become BNN`s special concern," he said.
De Fretes added that when he was caught, SS was scheduled to fly a plane to Balikpapan at around 6am, or 2.5 hours before being arrested.
(INE/H-YH)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
