Gopal Sri Ram JCA:

[1] This is the judgment of the court.

[2] The appellant before us was charged with an offence of trafficking 580.3 grams of methamphetamines, an offence under s 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 ("the Act") and punishable under the 2nd subsection of that section. The facts of the case are these. On 27 June 1999 at about 5pm or thereabouts, PW5, ASP Maidu bin Abu Bakar the Head of the Narcotics Division of the police station at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) received information about an offence of trafficking at the KLIA. At about 5.30pm he positioned himself with some of his fellow officers at arrival gate B6. Shortly later, he saw the appellant emerge. The appellant was stopped. He was carrying a backpack (exh P5) which on subsequent examination was found to contain three wet towels and three pieces of underpants. PW5 noticed the towels to emit an acidic smell. He became suspicious. He had these items sent to the chemist. Chemical analysis later confirmed the towels and the underpants to contain 580.3 grams of methamphetamines, a proscribed drug under the Act. The appellant was charged and convicted of the offence of trafficking an