Malindo cabin crew member arrested in Australian drug bust

An employee of a Malaysian airline was among eight people arrested in Australia on charges of trafficking more than 14 kg of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, Australian authorities said on Wednesday. The suspect worked for Malindo Air, a subsidiary of Indonesia's Lion Air, which said the crew member had been suspended with immediate effect pending termination. "Malindo Air stands ready to co-operate with all the relevant authorities be it in Australia or in Malaysia in this regard," it said. The 38-year-old airline crew member was part of a group that brought drugs from Malaysia for sale in Australian cities, police and customs officials said. The gang, which police believe was run by a Vietnamese crime syndicate, was based in Melbourne, said Tess Walsh, Victoria State police crime command assistant commissioner. Police seized some 14 kg of drugs when the suspects were rounded up. "Intelligence would tell us that this crew has been operating for some years. I would say five plus," Walsh said.<br/>