M

alaysian police have apprehended two Indonesian police officers for allegedly attempting to smuggle six kilograms of drugs.

The West Kalimantan Police officers, identified as Adj. Sr. Comr. Idha Endi Prastiono and Brig. Harahap, were nabbed at Kuching International Airport, Sarawak, Malaysia, on Saturday.

'€œThe case of Idha Endi will be explained by the [West Kalimantan] Police chief after he arrives from his visit to Sambas [West Kalimantan],'€ West Kalimantan Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Suhadi SW said on Sunday.

A source at West Kalimantan Police headquarters said Idha and Harahap had not asked for permission when they went overseas.

According to the source, before being suspended due to the case, Idha was the chief of the West Kalimantan Police narcotics unit while Harahap was an investigator in the unit.

The arrests of Idha and Harahap were made after the recent arrests of their colleagues at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

'€œThe first arrests showed the involvement of Idha and Harahap,'€ the source said.

West Kalimantan Police deputy chief Sr. Comr. Hasanuddin has left for Malaysia to follow up on the arrests.

If they are found guilty, according to Malaysia'€™s Narcotics Law, the officers could be sentenced to death.

It remains unclear which drugs were allegedly being smuggled by the officers.

The arrest of police officers from both Indonesia and Malaysia is nothing new.

On Feb. 18, the Medan District Court sentenced a Malaysian police officer, identified as Lance Cpl. Salim bin Muhammad Yusof, to four years in prison for possessing 0.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

The court also fined Salim, who was arrested at Polonia International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, in May last year, the sum of Rp 800 million (US$69,565).

The Malaysian Deputy Consul in Medan, Noor Azhar Hajis, who was also at court, said he would honor the court'€™s sentence.

He added that it was the first case in 10 years in which a Malaysian police officer was arrested for drug possession in Indonesia.