Two Singaporean Men Charged with Drug Trafficking in Malaysia, Face Death Penalty or Life Imprisonment
Two Singaporean men, Tan Xiao Wei, 49, and Ee Chong Kiat, 36, have been charged in the Magistrate’s Court in Johor, Malaysia with allegedly trafficking 58.6kg of MDMA, a type of ecstasy drug. The incident occurred on May 29, 2024, at Taman Horizon Hills in Iskandar Puteri city.
If convicted, they could face the death penalty or life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane under Section 39B(1)(a) of Malaysia’s Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Tan was also handed six additional charges of trafficking and possession of drugs weighing 13.82 kg, including distribution of MDMA and methamphetamine, and possession of ketamine and nimetazepam. Ee was charged with two other offences, including trafficking MDMA and possessing ketamine.
The alleged offences occurred on May 29 at various locations in Johor, including a condominium unit and an apartment. The charges were read to the men in Mandarin by a court interpreter.
The case has been set for mention on August 14. The police in Malaysia had announced on June 1 that they had dismantled an international drug syndicate, resulting in the arrest of 12 foreigners and two Malaysians, including the syndicate’s mastermind.
Tan and Ee were represented by lawyer Nur Afiqah Hambali and were not offered bail due to the seriousness of the alleged offences. If found guilty of the possession charges, they may be sentenced to a maximum of five years’ jail or fined up to RM100,000 (S$28,700), or both.
This incident highlights the severity of drug-related crimes in Malaysia and the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies to combat