KANGAR, Feb 5 — A labourer was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with trafficking in 16 kilogrammes of cannabis.

However, no plea was recorded from Muhammad Helmiee Azmi, 23, after the charge was read out before Magistrate Nurshahida Abdul Rahim.

The man was charged with trafficking the drug near the Malaysia-Thai border at Kampung Melayu, Padang Besar, at 7.20am last January 24.

The charge was framed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act which provides the death sentence or imprisonment for life and 12 strokes of the cane, if not sentenced to death, upon conviction.

The court set April 1 for mention pending the chemist report.

Deputy public prosecutor Tengku Ruqayyah Tengku Shahrom prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented. — Bernama