JOHOR BARU: A Singaporean man has been charged at the Sessions Court here with five counts of allegedly possessing and trafficking a total of 10.11 kilograms of drugs last month.
The accused, Tan Ban Choon, 47, nodded his head after the charges were read in Mandarin before Judge Mohammad Khalid Ab Karim on Tuesday (May 6).
No plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
According to the charge sheets, Tan, who is unemployed, was accused of trafficking 10,024 grams of powdered 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).
The charge was made under Section 39B(1)(A) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same Act, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment, along with a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
In the same court proceeding, the accused also faced four other charges of possessing drugs, namely 9 grams of heroin, 44 grams of cannabis, 6 grams of powdered MDMA, and 31.3 grams of ketamine.
All the offences took place at an apartment unit in Danga Bay at around 10pm on April 23.
The possession charges were brought under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and are punishable under Section 12(3) of the same Act, which provides for a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.
Another charge was made under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and is punishable under Section 39A of the same Act, which provides for a minimum jail term of two years and not more than five years, along with not fewer than three strokes and not more than nine strokes of the cane.
Mohammad Khalid did not grant bail, and the case is set for mention on July 29 pending a chemical report.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu prosecuted the case while the accused was not represented.
