Two Singaporeans face death penalty for drug trafficking in Johor

JOHOR BARU, June 12 — Two Singaporean men were charged in the Singapore Magistrates' Court today with trafficking 58.6kg worth of illicit drugs last month, for which they face the death penalty if convicted.

Tan Xiao Wei, 49, and Ee Chong Kiat, 36, were charged with trafficking a type of ecstasy drug called MDMA, with a gross weight of 58,625 grams at Jalan Anjung 8/1, Taman Horizon Hills, Iskandar Puteri, here on May 29 at 10:30 a.m. p.m.

The charges were laid under section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries a penalty under section 39B(2) of the same Act, and were read in conjunction with section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for death imprisonment or life imprisonment or, if not sentenced to death, a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane.

Both defendants nodded to show they understood the charges read by the court interpreter in Mandarin.

But no plea was recorded from the two accused before Magistrate R. Salini.

Tan was also charged with six counts of trafficking and possession of drugs weighing 13.82kg.

For the first four counts, he was accused of distributing 13,145 grams of MDMA and methamphetamine.

He was also charged with two counts of possession of 680 grams of ketamine and nimetazepam.

The offenses were allegedly committed at a condominium unit located at Jalan Mutiara 7, Taman Perindustrian Plentong, here, at 6.35pm on May 29.

Ee also faces two additional charges, trafficking MDMA with an estimated weight of 74 grams and possession of 26.4 grams of ketamine at an apartment near Persiaran Bumi Hijau, Taman Molek here at 3.40pm on May 29.

The two men were also charged under Section 12(2) of the same Act for possession of drugs, punishable by a fine of up to RM100,000 or a maximum of five years' imprisonment , or both, if found guilty.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Ameerah Allaudeen offered no bail for the accused as the charges related to Section 39B of the DDA 1952.

Both defendants were represented by lawyer Nur Afiqah Hambali.

The case is scheduled to be heard on August 14, pending a chemical report.