The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested 3,581 drug abusers in 2013, an increase of 2% from the 3,507 drug abusers arrested in 2012.
In 2013, repeat abusers constituted 69% (or 2,471 arrests) of all abusers arrested. This represented a 2% increase from 2012, where there were 2,415 arrests.
The number of new abusers arrested increased by 2%, from 1,092 in 2012 to 1,110 in 2013. New abusers made up 31% of all abusers arrested. About half of new abusers arrested are 20 to 29 years old. New youth abusers below the age of 20 decreased by 6% from 162 arrests in 2012 to 153 arrests in 2013.
Heroin and methamphetamine continue to be the two most commonly abused drugs, with about 92% of all drug abusers arrested having abused either heroin or methamphetamine. Cannabis abusers arrested increased by 31%, from 142 in 2012 to 186 in 2013.
CNB’s priorities remain our relentless enforcement efforts to prevent drugs from entering Singapore and flowing onto our streets, and spreading the zero-tolerance anti-drug message. In 2013, CNB conducted 46 major operations, including 19 island-wide operations, crippling 20 drug syndicates. The island-wide operations targeted middle-level traffickers, street-level pushers and drug abusers, and were strongly supported by the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
CNB’s intensive enforcement efforts saw an increased seizure of drugs in 2013. The estimated street value of the drugs seized in 2013 amounted to S$20.5 million, 12% higher than the estimated S$18.3 million in 2012. CNB seized 72.37kg of heroin in 2013, about 9% more than in 2012 (66.38kg). The quantity of ‘Ice” seized in 2013 remained high, at 44.06kg. Of the 44.06kg of ‘Ice’ seized in 2013, about 80%, or 35.21kg of it, was not intended for the local market.
On the preventive drug education (PDE) front, CNB continued to press on with our PDE efforts. We continued to organise annual large-scale events such as ‘DanceWorks!’ and the Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign to serve as public reminders of the anti-drug message. At the same time, CNB also widened our outreach to older youths and parents, to emphasise the anti-drug message and share the harmful effects of drugs and drug abuse.
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