SINGAPORE – Eighty-two people were arrested after drugs worth more than $132,000 were seized in a five-day, islandwide operation.
In a statement on June 21, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said that the anti-drug blitz took place from June 16 to 20, and covered areas like Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Changi, Punggol and Woodlands.
A total of 1,307g of cannabis, 739g of heroin, 196g of Ice (methamphetamine), 52 cannabis seeds, two Ecstasy tablets, 2g of cannabis resin and 1g of cannabis-infused tablets were seized.
The seized drugs were estimated to be able to feed the addiction of 640 abusers for a week, CNB added.
The police responded to a call for assistance on June 14 at a residential unit in Punggol Central. They arrested a 35-year-old Singaporean man after searching the unit and finding substances believed to be controlled drugs and drug paraphernalia.
CNB officers were alerted and took over the investigation of the drug offences.
In another incident on June 16, CNB officers launched a drug bust in Yishun Avenue 6 after follow-up investigations.
A 34-year-old Singaporean man was arrested after a search of a residential unit found a total of about 29g of cannabis and drug paraphernalia.
Another follow-up operation later in the evening saw the arrest of two male foreign nationals in Moonstone Lane in Bendemeer – a 31-year-old for suspected drug trafficking offences and a 37-year-old for alleged drug consumption.
A search of the 31-year-old’s electric bicycle and his hideout in Bendemeer found a total of about 1,095g of cannabis, 19g of Ice, drug paraphernalia and cash amounting to $3,944.
On June 18, officers arrested a 59-year-old Singaporean man for alleged drug trafficking in Bukit Merah, which was soon followed by the arrest of a 69-year-old Singaporean man in the vicinity for drug-related offences.
A total of about 209g of heroin and 17g of Ice were seized from the 59-year-old man’s place.
Another man, a 62-year-old Singaporean, was nabbed in Yishun Avenue 4 for suspected drug trafficking. CNB officers had to force their way into his residential unit after the man refused to open the door.
A search of the unit turned up about 247g of heroin and a small amount of Ice.
Investigations into all the suspects arrested are ongoing.
Anyone found guilty of trafficking more than 15g of diamorphine (“pure heroin”) or 250g of methamphetamine or 500g of cannabis may face the mandatory death penalty.
According to CNB’s annual statistics report on Feb 12there were 126 new drug abusers under the age of 20 arrested in 2024, with the youngest aged 13.
This was nearly 30 per cent more than the 97 nabbed in 2023.
New abusers totalled 966 in 2024, an increase from the 952 arrested in 2023.
However, the number of repeat offenders arrested was 2,153 in 2024, down from 2,170 in 2023.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
