Five men, including a businessman with a Datuk title, have been charged with drug distribution at the Magistrate’s Court in Pasir Gudang near Johor Baru.
The accused, Datuk Loong Chan Yow, Wong Fook Loy, and Chai Choon Foo, nodded in agreement after the charges were read out in Mandarin before Magistrate R. Salini on Monday (Dec 4).
The charges were not read out to the foreigners from Myanmar – Win Min Hliang, and Kaung Myat Phyoe – as they do not understand Malay, English, or Mandarin.
No plea was recorded for any of the accused.
According to the charge sheet, the accused were found distributing 22.5kg of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) powder, 368g of MDMA pills, and another 673g of MDMA powder.
The alleged crime took place at an unnumbered premise in Jalan Sagai 6 in Taman Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, at 11am on Nov 27.
The charges, under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same Act, carry the death penalty or life imprisonment with no fewer than 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu while all the accused were represented by counsel Mohd Hamizi Mohd Yusof.
The court has set Jan 23 for mention pending the chemical report and the interpreter for the two Myanmar men.
On Nov 29, Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said that a businessman with a Datuk title was among five individuals arrested following a drug lab bust involving seizures worth some RM10mil in Pasir Gudang.
The suspects were arrested on Nov 27 and Nov 28 in three separate raids in Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru.
