Five teenage drug traffickers arrested

        Officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested three 14-year-old and two 16-year-old teenagers for suspected drug trafficking in recent operations. About 226g of cannabis, estimated to be worth close to $7,000, food products believed to be infused with cannabis, and drug utensils were seized. The five teenagers are students from local and international schools.

Arrest of two 16-year-old teenagers

2.         Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the Parcel Post Section detected a parcel containing suspected drug paraphernalia. The case was referred to CNB for further investigations. In a follow-up operation, CNB officers arrested a boy and a girl, both aged 16, for suspected drug trafficking offences in the vicinity of Bukit Batok Street 21. About 59g of cannabis and various drug paraphernalia were seized from the girl’s home.

Photo 1 (CNB): Improvised drug paraphernalia seized from a residential unit in the vicinity of Bukit Batok Street 21.

Photo 2 (CNB): Some of the cannabis, believed to have been mixed with tobacco and rolled into joints, seized from the girl’s home in the vicinity of Bukit Batok Street 21.

Arrest of three 14-year-old youths

3.         A 14-year-old teenage boy, accompanied by his father, surrendered about 115g of cannabis in a Neighbourhood Police Post. The 14-year-old youth was later escorted to his place of residence, where about 52g of cannabis and food products believed to be infused with cannabis were seized.

4.         In a follow-up operation, CNB officers arrested two more 14-year-old boys for suspected drug trafficking, one in the vicinity of Clementi Road and the other in the vicinity of Serangoon Road. CNB officers also recovered food products believed to be infused with cannabis from a residential block in the vicinity of Serangoon Road.

Photos 3 and 4 (CNB): Food products believed to be infused with cannabis recovered by CNB officers from a residential block in the vicinity of Serangoon Road.

5.         Investigations into the drug activities of all the suspects are ongoing.

6.         There is well-founded and strong research that has shown short-term and long-term adverse effects associated with cannabis use, including cognitive impairments to youth abusers’ developing brains. These findings corroborate with Singapore’s position that cannabis should remain an illicit drug.

7.         AC Lim Fung Suan, Director of Enforcement Division Sector 2, said: “CNB stands firm in our belief that everyone in Singapore should have the right to live in an environment free from the scourge of drugs. We urge parents to partner us to keep our young ones safe. By talking to them about the harms of drugs, and paying attention to their friends and activities, we believe that preventive education is key and CNB will continue to work closely with our partners in schools and the community, so that everyone is made aware of the harms of drug abuse, and can help to spread the anti-drug message and caution their loved ones against getting involved in drugs”.

8.         Members of the public can contact the CNB hotline at 1800-325-6666 for advice and assistance if they are worried that their children may be involved with drugs. Those who have drug-related information can make a report to CNB by calling 1800-325-6666 or at https://www.eservices.cnb.gov.sg/feedback.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

27 October 2022