Drug trafficking syndicate smashed. About 2.8kg Heroin seized, seven arrested.

In an operation conducted by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) from 5 to 7 August 2019, CNB neutralised a drug trafficking syndicate, arrested seven suspected male drug offenders and seized heroin estimated to be worth close to S$197,000.

2 On the morning of 5 August 2019, CNB officers were deployed in Buona Vista to conduct observation on a suspected heroin syndicate leader – a 58-year-old Singaporean – believed to be supplying sizeable amounts of heroin to other suspected drug traffickers. Officers spotted the first suspect, a 52-year-old Singaporean, meeting up with the 58-year-old at a bus-stop in Buona Vista. Shortly after, the 52-year-old male departed in a taxi and was arrested after he alighted from the taxi in the vicinity of Bukit Merah View. Officers recovered a total of about 146g of heroin from the suspect.

3 CNB officers conducting observation at Buona Vista spotted another suspect, a 59-year-old Singaporean, meeting up with the 58-year-old. Shortly after, the 59-year-old suspect proceeded on foot to the vicinity of Dover Drive, and was then placed under arrest. Officers recovered about 9g of heroin from the 59-year-old suspect.

4 On that same night, another party of CNB officers conducting observation in the vicinity of Ubi Avenue 1 spotted two suspects, a 50-year-old and a 47-year-old meeting up. After the meeting, the 50-year-old suspect returned to his unit, and the 47-year-old suspect drove off from the area.

5 CNB officers tailed the 47-year-old to the vicinity of Buangkok Crescent and swiftly arrested him after he alighted from the car. The 47-year-old suspected drug trafficker is believed to be associated with the 58-year-old suspected heroin syndicate leader. Simultaneously, CNB officers at Ubi Avenue 1 effected forced entry into the unit occupied by the 50-year-old suspect, as the suspect refused to comply with lawful orders given by the officers to grant access. About 9g of heroin were recovered from within a sling bag found inside the toilet of the unit. The 50-year-old suspect was also brought to his motorcycle where officers recovered a total of about 292g of heroin concealed in the seat compartment. CNB officers escorted the suspect to his workplace in the vicinity of Victoria Street, where a total of about 939g of heroin, packed in two different bundles, were recovered from a storeroom.

Photos- 1 and 2 (CNB): Heroin recovered from a suspect’s motorcycle seat compartment on 5 August 2019.

Photos- 1 and 2 (CNB): Heroin recovered from a suspect’s motorcycle seat compartment on 5 August 2019.

Photo-3 (CNB): Heroin seized from a storeroom at a suspect’s workplace in the vicinity of Victoria Street on 5 August 2019.

6 Meanwhile, CNB officers continued to monitor the 58-year-old suspected heroin syndicate leader. On 7 August, CNB officers spotted another suspect, a 39-year-old Malaysian, meeting with the 58-year-old Singaporean suspect in the vicinity of Buona Vista. The Malaysian male handed over a white plastic bag to the 58-year-old Singaporean, and departed on his motorcycle. Officers moved in and arrested the suspected syndicate leader and recovered about 1,191g of yellow-coloured heroin from the white plastic bag. Another party of CNB officers arrested the Malaysian suspect at the junction of Lower Kent Ridge Road and South Buona Vista Road, and recovered cash amounting to S$1,200 from him.

Photo-4 (CNB): Some of the heroin seized during CNB’s operation from 5 to 7 August 2019.

7 Following up on the arrest of the 58-year-old suspected heroin syndicate leader, CNB officers arrested another suspect, a 60-year-old Singaporean, in the vicinity of Buona Vista. A total of about 192g of heroin, a small amount of ‘Ice’ and cash amounting to S$2,452 were recovered from the 60-year-old suspected drug trafficker.

8 Investigations into the drug activities of all the suspects are ongoing. 2,778g of heroin is enough to feed the addiction of about 1,323 abusers for a week.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

8 AUGUST 2019