Turkey arrests pilot who flew private jet loaded with 1.3 tons of cocaine
Turkey has jailed the pilot who in August flew an Istanbul-based company's private jet on which 1.3 tons of cocaine were seized. The pilot, who was only identified as V.D., was previously arrested in Brazil where he remained in custody for 99 days.
Duvar English
A Turkish court has jailed a pilot in an investigation concerning the seizure of suitcases carrying 1.3 tons of cocaine in Brazil back in August.
The Turkish pilot, who was identified only as V.D., was detained upon arriving at Istanbul Airport from France on Dec. 26.
He is among a total of seven suspects who stand trial in the investigation.
In his testimony to the prosecutors, V.D. said that he had nothing to do with the seized drugs and that it was the Brazilian security staff who had the responsibility to go through the luggage.
The court on duty ruled for the Turkish pilot's arrest, while the judiciary process concerning the other six suspects is going on, media outlets reported on Dec. 29.
V.D. was previously arrested in Brazil and remained in custody for 99 days.
At the time, the Brazilian authorities said that the chief pilot V.D. had attempted to flee the scene of the raid by starting the engines, but the police had stopped him from doing so by pulling out a gun.