ELEVEN people, including two minors, were charged in a magistrate’s court in Johor Baru today with three counts of drug trafficking last month.

The charges against Yek Zhu Jie,19; Tan Chee Seng, 21; How Jia Lerk, 24; Kenny Loo Yee Han, 24; Ooi Zhi Wei, 27, and Chong Chew Nam, 32, and three women, namely Eva Chua Min, 19; Phang Jing Yi, 22, and Goh Yoong Cheng, 30, as well as two 17-year-old boys, were read before magistrate A. Shaarmini.

No plea was recorded from all of them as the case comes under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

According to the charges, they are jointly charged with trafficking in methylenedioxymethamphetamine weighing 18.8kg, ketamine (558g) and nimetazepam (52g) at a house on Jalan Bukit Skudai 6, Taman Bukit Skudai, Johor Baru at 2am on September 23.

The charges, framed under section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under section 39B(2) of the same law, provide for the death penalty or life imprisonment, and if not sentenced to death must be punished with not fewer than 15 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

The court set November 2 for the next mention.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Shamira Mohd Luthfi Ismail, while lawyers Muhammad Mohd Nasir, Freda Sabapathy and Chew Pong Him represented Chong, Chua and How respectively.

The other eight accused were not represented. – Bernama, October 2, 2023.