Alor Setar:A man appeared in the Magistrate's Court charged with trafficking 72 kilograms of cannabis by the roadside near the Alor Setar South Toll Plaza last month.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the accused, 26-year-old Muhammad Faiz Nazri, indicated his understanding of the charge presented before Magistrate Eliana Ismail. However, no plea was recorded, as such cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The charge sheet alleges that Muhammad Faiz trafficked 72,000 grams of cannabis, classified as a dangerous drug, by the roadside after the Alor Setar South Toll Plaza around 630 pm on September 24. The charge is filed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, with penalties outlined in Section 39B(2) of the same Act. If convicted, the accused faces either the death penalty or life imprisonment, accompanied by a mandatory whipping of at least 12 strokes if not sentenced to death.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Sharmila Md Asri led the prosecution, while the accused did not have legal representation. The court denied bail and scheduled February 2 of the following year for the next case mention.

Media reports indicated that the arrest followed the discovery of 72 kg of cannabis buds, valued at approximately RM6 million, inside a Toyota Wish multi-purpose vehicle involved in an accident on the North-South Expressway on September 24.