Four suspected drug offenders arrested; more than 6kg of controlled drugs seized

            Officers from Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested four Singaporeans, aged between 36 and 54, for suspected drug offences on 31 January 2023. A total of about 6,788g of heroin, 9g of ‘Ice’, 22g of cannabis, 102 Erimin-5 tablets and 14 bottles of methadone, with a total estimated street value of $480,000, were seized during the operation. 

2.         In the afternoon of 31 January, CNB officers arrested a 49-year-old man and 36-year-old woman at a residential block in the vicinity of Jurong West Street 93 for suspected drug trafficking offences. As officers moved in to arrest both suspects, the man put up a violent struggle and necessary force was used to subdue him. Several packets and straws containing about 70g of heroin were also recovered from the man. 

3.         Officers then raided the man’s residence located in the same block, where a 51-year-old man and 54-year-old man were arrested within the residential unit. About 7g of heroin, two Erimin-5 tablets and five bottles of methadone were seized from various locations in the unit. Prior to both men’s arrest, suspected controlled drugs were believed to have been thrown out of the unit’s window. Officers later recovered the substances, which included packets containing about 32g of heroin.

4.         The couple was also escorted to the man’s suspected hideout located in the same block, where about 6,679g of heroin, 9g of ‘Ice’, 22g of cannabis, 100 Erimin-5 tablets and nine bottles of methadone were further recovered from the unit.

Photos 1 – 3 (CNB): Bundles and packets of heroin seized from a residential unit in the vicinity of Jurong West Street 93 in a CNB operation conducted on 31 January 2023.

5.         DAC Aaron Tang, Director of Intelligence Division, said of the operation:

“The seizure of 6,788g of heroin can feed the addiction of about 3,200 abusers for a week. Should the drugs that were seized from the operation be circulated in Singapore, the lives of these 3,200 abusers and their families would have been destroyed.

There is no place for drugs in our society. Our officers will continue to be tenacious in following up on all suspected drug leads by carefully gathering intelligence and launching well-timed operations to take these offenders out.”

6.         Under Section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, it is an offence for a person, on his or her own behalf, or on behalf of any other person, whether or not that other person is in Singapore, to traffic in a controlled drug, offer to traffic in a controlled drug; or to do or offer to do any act preparatory to or for the purpose of trafficking in a controlled drug. If a person is found guilty of trafficking more than 15g of diamorphine, he or she may face the mandatory death penalty.

7.         Investigations into the suspects’ drug activities are ongoing.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

2 February 2023