A Philippine politician allegedly bankrolled the chartered private jet that departed Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang and was later linked to the seizure of 521kg of methamphetamine in Laos.

“We have identified the financier behind this drug operation. This politician is based in the South, in Mindanao,” Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency spokesperson Atty Joseph Frederick Calulut told reporters, according to Philippine media reports.

The revelation adds a political dimension to a case that has already drawn scrutiny in Malaysia, Laos, and the Philippines, following the seizure of crystal methamphetamine from luggage chartered for what was purportedly a shipment of vape products.

Calulut declined to disclose the politician’s identity or position as investigators continued building their case.