BATU PAHAT: "Take care of my children, mum." This was the message a labourer left for his mother after he was taken to the magistrate's court here today to face a charge of trafficking 3,080g of methamphetamine last week.
Accused Paisal Karok, 24, a father of two, nodded when the charge was read out to him by a court interpreter before magistrate Nurasidah A. Rahman.
No plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
According to the charge, the accused is alleged to have trafficked methamphetamine in Kampung Sungai Kajang, Jalan Peserai, here, at 11.30am on Jan 2.
The accused was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and faces punishment under Section 39B(2) of the act.
He faces the death penalty or life imprisonment if the death sentence is not imposed, along with no less than 12 strokes of the cane.
The prosecution was handled by the prosecuting officer, Inspector Ling Shao Shen, while the accused was not represented.
Earlier, the prosecution asked the court to set a new date as they had yet to receive the chemistry report.
The court set March 13 for submission of the chemistry report and the appointment of a lawyer, with no bail offered to the accused.
Last week, a police team from the Batu Pahat Narcotics Crime Investigation Division arrested a man involved in drug trafficking during a raid on a house in Jalan Simpang 5, here.
During the raid, police discovered drugs worth RM96,000.
The accused is believed to have gotten involved early last month. He tested positive for drugs.
The drug traffickers' modus operandi involves using Malaysia as a transit point for the drugs before they are sent to neighbouring countries. The drugs found during the raid could go to 6,160 drug users.