200 vials of Fentanyl seized three arrested for suspected drug activities

In the morning of 1 March 2021, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers from Changi Airfreight Centre, Air Cargo Command noticed anomalies in the scanned images of a parcel declared as ‘medicine’ from Vietnam. ICA officers conducted further checks and uncovered 200 vials believed to contain about 20mg of fentanyl. Other illicit medicines, including 3,990 tablets labelled as diazepam, 400 tablets labelled as codeine phosphate, 300 tablets labelled as gabapentin and 40 vials labelled as midazolam, were also found in the parcel.

2. This detection prompted a follow-up operation conducted by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in the afternoon of the same day. CNB officers arrested the intended recipient of the parcel, a 30-year-old female Singapore Permanent Resident, in the vicinity of Beach Road. Two other Singaporean males (aged 62 and 25) were also arrested together with the female suspect for suspected drug-related offences as well. The three suspects were escorted to their hideout, an apartment in the same vicinity.

3. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) was alerted when CNB found other illicit medicines in the apartment. During a search of the apartment, HSA seized approximately 16 litres of cough syrup in cannisters and bottles, and more than 4,500 units of unlabelled tablets and pills. The total street value of these illicit medicines is approximately $9,300. Preliminary investigations revealed that the apartment was used to illegally manufacture and store the cough syrup and medicines. Instruments used for mixing and rebottling, such as a high-speed industrial blender, funnels and measuring containers, were also seized.

Photo 1 (CNB): 200 vials believed to contain 2ml of fentanyl each, detected in a parcel by ICA officers on 1 March 2021. The parcel was later referred to CNB, who mounted an operation & arrested 3 suspected drug offenders in relation to the parcel.

Photo 2 (HSA): Bottles of cough syrup stored in freezer seized from an apartment in the vicinity of Beach Road on 1 March 2021.

Photo 3 (HSA): Other illicit medicines seized from an apartment in the vicinity of Beach Road on 1 March 2021.

Photos 4 and 5 (HSA): Instruments used to manufacture cough syrup found in an apartment in the vicinity of Beach Road on 1 March 2021.

4. Fentanyl is known to be a very potent opioid, approximately 50-100 times more potent than morphine. The abuse of fentanyl results in similar effects to other opioids, such as nausea, drowsiness, respiratory depression, low blood pressure and slow heart rate. Due to its potency, fentanyl abuse brings with it a heightened risk of death as a result of overdosing and there have been many cases in overseas jurisdictions of overdose deaths relating to fentanyl and its derivatives.

5. Investigations into the drug activities of all the suspects are ongoing. CNB would like to remind the public that fentanyl and its derivatives are listed as Class A controlled drugs under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA). The possession, consumption, importation or trafficking of any controlled drug is an offence under the MDA. Singapore adopts a zero tolerance stance in our fight against drug abuse. Any person who is found to have committed an offence involving a controlled drug will be dealt with in accordance to the law. Anyone who imports, manufactures and / or supplies illegal health products is liable to prosecution and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to 2 years and / or fined up to $50,000 under the Health Products Act.

6. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security. The ICA will continue to work with our law enforcement agencies to prevent attempts to smuggle drugs across our borders.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY

6 March 2021