CNB launched island-wide ops from weekend - 69 drug offenders arrested and 0.5kg heroin seized

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) continues to intensify its enforcement efforts on the ground with another island-wide operation, arresting a total of 69 drug offenders and seizing 0.5kg of heroin with a street value of S$75,000. Spanning five days, the first phase of the operation started on Sunday, 8 Jan 2012 followed by a second phase on Wednesday 11 Jan 2012.

Two-phased Island-wide Operation Targeting Street-level Drug Activity

These operations, which aim to suppress street-level illicit drug activity, are targeted primarily at drug abusers and street-level drug pushers. It is anchored by CNB’s Supervision Division, which deploys officers all over Singapore to clean up the streets of illicit drug activity.

Over two phases of the operation, CNB’s Supervision Division officers raided various locations across Singapore, including Ang Mo Kio, Bedok North, Boon Lay, Old Airport Road, Telok Blangah and Sungei Kadut, and arrested 62 suspected drug abusers. Another five suspected street-level drug pushers were arrested in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio, Kelantan Lane, Old Airport Road, Telok Blangah and Yishun. A total of approximately 36 grammes of heroin, 4 grammes of Ice, and 1 gramme of cannabis were seized from these two phases of operation.

Singaporean Heroin Trafficker Caught in Cab

Concurrently, officers from CNB’s Intelligence Division launched an operation to arrest a 45-year-old male Singaporean suspected to be a major drug trafficker active in the eastern part of Singapore.

In the late afternoon of 11 Jan 2012, CNB officers had tailed the suspected drug trafficker in a taxi to the vicinity of Tampines Avenue 12 where a team of CNB officers moved in and arrested him in the taxi. CNB officers retrieved a black sling bag from the taxi which was found to contain approximately 457 grammes of heroin, estimated to be worth S$68,550.

In a follow-up search of the suspect’s residence in Tampines, officers recovered drug paraphernalia such as digital weighing scales, empty plastic packets and improvised smoking apparatus. Apart from the 45-year-old male Singaporean, the driver of the taxi, a 60-year-old male Singaporean was also arrested. Both are being investigated for drug trafficking. They may face the death penalty if convicted.

Deputy Director CNB Mr Marvin Sim said, “This back-to-back operation, which commenced over the weekend and conducted in two phases over five days, signals our commitment to vigorous enforcement for the year ahead. We will continue to intensify and vary our operations to target at both the demand and supply of illicit drugs in Singapore.”

Central Narcotics Bureau 12 January 2012

Suspects arrested during island-wide operations

Heroin seized by CNB’s Intelligence Division on 11 Jan 2012