Cooperation by CNB & NCID - Dismantled drug syndicate operating in Singapore and Malaysia

On 4 February 2015, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) of the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) launched an operation to apprehend a 46 year-old suspected Singaporean drug syndicate leader believed to be supplying heroin and ‘Ice’ to drug traffickers in Singapore.

The arrest of the 46 year-old suspected drug syndicate leader is the culmination of a two-year long investigation by CNB, jointly with NCID, to dismantle a drug trafficking syndicate. The syndicate was based in Malaysia. The suspected syndicate leader was wanted by Singaporean authorities and was in hiding in Malaysia.  In coordinated action between NCID Bukit Aman, NCID Johor and CNB, the Singaporean fugitive and his drug associates were earlier arrested in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on 4 February 2015 by NCID officers. NCID officers also raided the fugitive’s “drug store” and residence in Malaysia and seized a total of about 580g of heroin, 370g of ‘Ice’, 350g of ketamine, 150 ‘Ecstasy’ tablets, 4,450 Erimin-5 tablets and cash of RM48,280. 

The syndicate is believed to have been coordinating a drug supply chain, supplying mainly heroin and ‘Ice’ to Singaporean drug traffickers.  Other drugs trafficked by the syndicate included ‘Ecstasy’, ketamine, Erimin-5 and cannabis. 

Ongoing investigations and disruption of syndicate activities since December 2012

CNB started investigations into the trafficking activities of the syndicate in December 2012. Between December 2012 and February 2015, CNB launched a series of operations to disrupt the drug trafficking activities of the syndicate. In total, CNB had launched 14 operations, resulting in the arrest of 40 drug offenders and seizure of about 8kg of heroin, about 1.7kg of “Ice”, about 1.9kg of cannabis and other drugs. Details of some of these operations are in Annex A.

Close cooperation with NCID

The successful dismantling of the drug syndicate headed by the Singaporean fugitive is a testament of the close cooperation between CNB and NCID in tackling cross-border drug trafficking syndicates. This Malaysia-based syndicate is believed to be capable of supplying about 4.5kg of heroin, about 500g of “Ice”, about 1kg of cannabis and other controlled drugs into Singapore per week. 4.5kg of heroin and 500g of “Ice” could feed the addiction of about 2,100 heroin addicts and 280 “Ice” addicts per week.

Director CNB Mr Ng Ser Song said, “The successful conclusion of the protracted investigation against this drug syndicate is a result of the firm resolve and commitment of CNB and NCID to take down drug syndicates. Drug syndicates operate with no respect for national borders.  I would like to extend my appreciation to my NCID counterpart, Acting Director Dato’ Haris Wong, for NCID’s partnership to dismantle this syndicate which is responsible for trafficking in large quantities of drugs. CNB will continue to collaborate with our regional counterparts to tackle the drug scourge to stop the flow of drugs, both upstream and at street level.” 

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
6 FEBRUARY 2015

Annex A

Series of operations against the drug syndicate

Based on investigations from December 2012, CNB was able to launch a series of operations to disrupt the drug supply chain.  Between December 2012 and February 2015, CNB launched various operations which at times saw sizeable amount of drugs seized. These drugs were believed to have been supplied by the syndicate headed by the Singaporean fugitive.

For example, on 4 February 2013, CNB launched an operation which saw the arrest of a then 53-year-old male Singaporean suspected drug trafficker, seizing a total of about 240g of heroin in this operation.  The then 53-year-old male Singaporean was believed to be getting his drug supply from the syndicate headed by the Singaporean fugitive.

On 2 May 2013, a then 32-year-old male Singaporean suspected drug trafficker was arrested and about 390g of heroin was seized. 

On 23 July 2013, a then 51-year-old male Singaporean suspected drug trafficker was arrested.  About 370g of ‘Ice’, 470g of ketamine and 1,796 Erimin-5 tablets were seized from the operation.  

In an operation launched on 29 June 2014, CNB officers arrested a total of four suspected drug offenders.  A sizeable amount and variety of drugs were seized from this operation - about 600g of cannabis, 160g of ketamine, 20g of ‘Ice’, 2,180 Erimin-5 tablets and 188 ‘Ecstasy’ tablets.

On 23 September 2014, CNB launched an operation which saw the arrest of four suspected drug offenders.  From this operation, a total of about 5.5kg of heroin, 1kg of cannabis, 11g of ‘Ice’, and small amounts of ‘Ecstasy’ and Erimin-5 tablets were seized. 

On 30 October 2014, four suspected drug offenders were arrested in an operation which saw another sizeable amount of drugs seized.  From this operation, a total of about 450g of heroin, 210g of ‘Ice’, 1,000 Erimin-5 tablets and 22 ‘Ecstasy’ tablets were seized.

In an operation launched on 2 February 2015, two drug offenders were arrested and a total of about 295g of heroin, 175g of Ice’, 87g of ketamine, 1,754 Erimin-5 tablets and 111 ‘Ecstasy’ tablets were seized. 

All the above highlighted operations were among an entire series of operations mounted by CNB against the local tentacles of the drug syndicate, which distributed sizeable amount of drugs in the local market. 

Photo 1: Drugs seized from CNB operation on 23 September 2014

Photo 2: Drugs and cash seized in a CNB operation on 30 October 2014