T

he National Police have said they will conduct a thorough investigation into two officers, Adj. Sr. Comr. Idha Endri Prastiono and Brig. Harahap, who were arrested in a drug-smuggling case in Malaysia.

Idha, a middle-ranking officer in the West Kalimantan Police, and his subordinate, Harahap, were held by the Royal Malaysian Police in Kuching on Aug. 29 on suspicion they intended to accept a drugs package from a Filipino drug mule, identified as Chusi or Sonya, who had previously been arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

On Tuesday, the Malaysian authorities released Idha and Harahap on Tuesday after failing to find sufficient evidence to prove their roles in the case. In spite of being cleared of drug charges by the Malaysian authorities, the National Police have indicated that they will take disciplinary action.

Idha and Harahap were questioned at the National Police headquarters as soon as they landed in Jakarta late on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the two were flown to Pontianak to face further interrogation by the West Kalimantan Police.

Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli said on Wednesday that investigators were looking into possible ethics violations if not drug offences committed by the officers both in Malaysia and Indonesia.

'€œWe are still studying the findings from Malaysia. There are also allegations that they were involved in several other cases in the past,'€ Boy told a press conference in Jakarta.

Earlier reports revealed that Idha stole narcotics confiscated from drug suspects and used a car confiscated from a drug-trafficking suspect. Last year, Idha was dismissed from his position as a sub-division head at the West Kalimantan Police'€™s narcotics investigation division for conspiring with other officers to steal evidence in drug cases.

Last week, the West Kalimantan Police seized a silver Mercedes-Benz car from Idha'€™s home. The car belonged to Chiew Yem Khuan, alias Aciu, a Malaysian national arrested last year for smuggling drugs from Malaysia into the country. Aciu is currently serving his jail term in a penitentiary in Pontianak.

West Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. Arief Sulistyanto said he suspected that Idha also laundered money collected from drug trafficking. '€œThere may be a money-laundering operation from the drug business. I am committed to arresting and dismissing [any officers involved],'€ he said on Wednesday.

The police also suspect members of Idha'€™s family have close ties to drug rings. The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) revealed that it had put the officer'€™s wife, Titi Yustinawati, under surveillance following the arrest of several drug traffickers who claimed to be Titi'€™s henchmen.

Titi'€™s brother, Agung is currently facing a trial in Pontianak for attempting to smuggle 500 grams of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, from Kuching into Pontianak.

Aside from the drugs issue, Idha is also suspected of having extramarital affairs. The police previously reprimanded him for having two children out of wedlock.