JOHOR BARU: A Vietnamese woman was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here with drug trafficking involving over five kilograms of drugs two weeks ago.
Vo Thi Be Thu, 31, nodded to indicate understanding when the charge was read before Magistrate A. Shaarmini, but no plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
According to the charge sheet, she was accused of trafficking 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) weighing approximately 5.286kg at a condominium in Persiaran Sutera Danga, Johor Baru, at about 2 pm on July 25.
For this offence, Vo Thi was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and is punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same Act, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.
If not sentenced to death, she shall also be punished with not less than 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
In the same court, the accused pleaded not guilty to two other charges of drug possession.
She was charged with possessing 20g of MDMA and 9g of ketamine at the same apartment and location, date, and time.
For these offences, she was charged under Section 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and not more than nine strokes of the cane, and under Section 12(2) of the same Act, which provides for a fine of up to RM100,000 or both, upon conviction.
Meanwhile, before Magistrate Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid, the accused was also charged with possessing 11g of ketamine in another unit of the same apartment at around 3.20 pm on July 25.
She pleaded not guilty and claimed trial under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 12(3) of the same Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutors S. Manushri and Siti Aishah Latif.
Both courts set October 7 for case mention while awaiting the chemistry report, and no bail was offered.
At the same time, the accused is also facing two additional charges before Magistrate Nabilah Nizam. However, the proceedings were postponed to August 27 to allow time for a Vietnamese interpreter to be appointed.
On August 3, former Johor Police Chief Datuk M. Kumar reported that a drug syndicate led by a Vietnamese woman had been busted following raids on two apartment units in a guarded and gated residence.
During the crackdown, drugs worth over RM4.9mil were seized.
