CNB 4-day island-wide operation, ‘Cannabis Chocolate’ seized.

        The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) conducted a 4-day island-wide drug enforcement operation, from the morning of 21 October to the morning of 25 October 2019, which saw the arrest of 138 suspected drug offenders.  Drugs consisting of 236g of new psychoactive substances, 99g of ‘Ice’, 34g of heroin, 30g of cannabis, 31 Erimin-5 tablets, 10 ‘Ecstasy’ tablets and a small amount of ketamine were seized in this latest island-wide operation.

2          This island-wide operation was supported by the Singapore Police Force and some of the areas covered include Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Choa Chu Kang, Hougang, Punggol, Sengkang and Serangoon. 

‘Cannabis chocolate’ and ‘cannabis strawberry taffy’ seized

3         In one of the cases during this island-wide operation, in the afternoon of 23 October, CNB officers arrested a suspected drug abuser within the suspect’s residential unit in the vicinity of Choa Chu Kang Loop.  The suspect, a 25-year-old female Singaporean, surrendered to CNB officers a packet of about 7g of vegetable matter, believed to contain cannabis.  Other items surrendered by the suspect included numerous drug-taking utensils, a packet of chocolate believed to be infused with cannabis and a packet containing two strawberry taffies believed to be infused with cannabis.

Photo 1 & 2 (CNB): Chocolate and strawberry taffies, believed to be infused with cannabis, found in CNB raid at Choa Chu Kang Loop, on 23 October 2019.

4          Following up on the arrest of the 25-year-old female, CNB officers arrested a suspected drug trafficker at his residential unit in the vicinity of Hong San Walk.  The suspect, a 22-year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident, surrendered to CNB officers a packet of about 12g of vegetable matter believed to contain cannabis and a packet of about 20g of vegetable matter mixed with tobacco.  From a search conducted by the officers, a digital weighing scale and an e-cigarette, believed to be infused with cannabis, were also found.

5          Investigations into the drug activities of all the arrested persons are ongoing.  CNB would like to remind the public that cannabis is a Class A controlled drug listed under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act.  The consumption, possession, trafficking, import or export of any controlled drug is an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.  CNB is aware that in various jurisdictions around the world, some have decriminalised or legalised cannabis, and they allow the sale of cannabis and/or products containing cannabis.  CNB would like to remind the public that it is an offence under the Misuse of Drug Act to bring into Singapore any product containing cannabis regardless of the amount of cannabis in the product.  Singapore’s drug control policies are underpinned by evidence and research.  A literature review conducted by the Institute of Mental Health experts affirmed the addictive and harmful nature of cannabis, and that it damages the brain.  There is scant evidence of the safety and efficacy of long-term cannabis use.  These findings corroborate Singapore’s position that cannabis should remain an illicit drug.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

25 OCTOBER 2019