CNB & ICA Joint News Release - Home Team strikes hard at drug syndicates

Over a period of 24 hours on 26 Mar, the Home Team agencies recovered more than 2kg of drugs, and arrested seven drug offenders.

In the first case, in the early morning hours of 26 Mar 2014, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers arrested a male suspect who had attempted to bring in controlled substances into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint. At around 10am, CNB officers conducted a follow up operation inland, and arrested two male and one female suspected drug offenders at a flat in Punggol, aged between 31 to 47. All four suspects are Singaporeans.

About 640g of heroin, small amount of ‘Ice’ and cannabis, and more than S$32,000 cash were recovered from the flat. See CNB photo 1 below.

CNB photo 1: Items seized in CNB operation at Punggol flat on 26 Mar 14, around 10am

Three other operations were also conducted at the Woodlands Checkpoint on the same day, 26 Mar 2014.

In this second case, ICA officers referred two suspected drug traffickers to CNB at around 3.35pm on 26 Mar 2014 at the Woodlands Checkpoint arrival zone. The two suspects were riding a motorcycle. CNB officers recovered four bundles of cannabis weighing about 856g in the air filter box of the suspects’ motorcycle. The two Singaporean males aged 44 and 53 were immediately arrested. A follow up raid at the 53-year-old’s taxi which was parked at Telok Blangah yielded a small packet of cannabis and drug-taking utensils. See CNB photos 2 and 3 below.

CNB photos 2 & 3: Cannabis and motorcycle seized at Woolands Checkpoint on 26 Mar 14, at around 3.35pm

In the third case, at about 4.43pm, CNB was alerted by ICA of a 70-year-old male who was travelling in a Malaysia-registered car. CNB officers checked the Singaporean and found six small bundles of cannabis weighing about 177g hidden in his underwear.

In the fourth case, ICA officers stopped an arriving Malaysia-registered taxi for a routine check at about 7.25pm. ICA officers recovered one block of cannabis under the driver’s seat, weighing about 484g. The case was referred to CNB for follow up and a 58-year-old male Malaysian was arrested. See CNB photos 4 and 5 below.

CNB photos 4 and 5: A block of cannabis and vehicle seized at Woodlands Checkpoint on 26 Mar 14, around 7.30pm.

In total, over a period of 24 hours, seven were arrested, and about 640g of heroin, 1.5kg of cannabis and small amount of ‘Ice’ were recovered. The total street value of the drugs recovered was more than S$117,000. Investigations are on-going for all the cases.

These successive operations reflect the Home Team’s concerted effort and close coordination in the fight against drugs. The Home Team agencies will continue to conduct checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent smuggling attempts.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
AND
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
27 MARCH 2014