Confiscation of ill-gotten proceeds from drug trafficking

On 20 June 2024, the Court issued a confiscation order for S$19,655.97 against a Singaporean man, which represented his benefits derived from drug trafficking activities.

Case Details

2. The man was arrested by CNB officers in an anti-drug operation on 28 Nov 2017. He was 50 years old at the time. During the arrest, about 50 grams of heroin was seized. CNB investigations revealed that the heroin was meant for sale.

3. Upon his arrest, cash amounting to S$12,680 was seized. During investigations, his POSB account with a total balance of S$6,975.97 was also put on hold. It was subsequently revealed that the total assets seized, including the seized cash, was disproportionate to the man’s known income.

4. On 12 Feb 2018, he was sentenced to an imprisonment term of 10 years for drug trafficking in not less than 0.8 grams of diamorphine under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Following his conviction, CNB sought a confiscation order against him to forfeit the benefits derived by him from illicit drug trafficking activities. This was granted by the Court.

5. Under Section 6 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992, any person who is convicted of one or more drug dealing offences is subjected to have the benefits derived by him from drug dealings confiscated.

6. AC Ong Pang Thong, Director of Investigation Division, said:

“Drug traffickers who profit from illegal drug activities will face the full force of the law and be brought to justice. The offender in this case was held accountable for his actions with a 10-year imprisonment term and the confiscation of close to S$20,000 which he had illicitly gained through his drug trafficking activities. CNB will pursue and neutralize all drug trafficking activities resolutely to hold drug traffickers responsible for their wrongdoings.”

7. CNB will continue to actively pursue and investigate illegal drug activities including illicit drug money laundering to ensure that drug offenders do not benefit from their financial gains derived from drug dealing. This aligns with the Government’s continued efforts to ensure that our laws remain effective against the evolving crime landscape and are in line with the standards set out by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)¹.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
26 JULY 2024

¹The FATF is an intergovernmental body that develops international standards to fight money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing. Singapore is a member of the FATF.