Batu Pahat: An unemployed man was charged at the Magistrate's Court here today on allegations of trafficking more than 20 kilogrammes of syabu last month. The charge against Muhammad Nur Hazreq Kairuddin, 36, was presented before Magistrate Nurasidah A Rahman. No plea was recorded as the charge falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Muhammad Nur Hazreq was apprehended for trafficking 20,712 grammes of methamphetamine at the jetty near the lamppost of Lorong 3, 1/7, Minyak Beku, Batu Pahat at 7 pm on April 21. The accused was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. This section is punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same act, which mandates the death penalty or life imprisonment. If not sentenced to death, the punishment includes not less than 12 strokes of the cane.

The case was presented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Firdaus Ruslan, while the accused did not have legal representation. No bail was offered, and the case is scheduled to be re-mentioned for submission of chemical reports on June 30.

Last Tuesday, Johor police chief Datuk M Kumar reported that a 36-year-old man was arrested at a jetty in Batu Pahat following an inspection of a pickup truck. The inspection revealed 20 bundles of suspected syabu weighing more than 20 kilogrammes, valued at over RM662,000. He noted that the syndicate, active since February, used vehicles to store drugs before smuggling them to neighbouring countries by sea.