JOHOR BARU, Oct 15 — Three friends were charged in the Magistrate's Court here today with trafficking 4,712 grams of methamphetamine early this month.

The charge against Chin Kai Xian, 40; Chan Yi Hui, 33; and a Bangladeshi, Shahinur, 41, was read out before Magistrate Hidayatul Syuhada Shamsudin, but no plea was recorded from them as the case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The three men are jointly charged with trafficking the drug at Jalan Setia Tropika 1/8, Taman Setia Tropika here at 2.30am last October 4.

The charge, framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same law, provides the death penalty or life imprisonment and if not sentenced to death must be punished with not less than 15 lashes, if convicted.

The court set November 16 for mention.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nuraqiilah Ahmad Rofaie, while lawyer Mohd Daud Ismail represented Chin and Shahinur. Chan was unrepresented. — Bernama