62 drug offenders arrested and $313k worth of drugs seized in week-long CNB operation

Lydia Lam
The Straits Times
Friday, Apr 21, 2017

Sixty-two suspected drug offenders were arrested this week in an islandwide operation by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). More than $313,000 worth of drugs were also seized.

The drugs included about 1,930g of heroin, 950g of "Ice" or methamphetamine, 1,560g of cannabis, 1,087 "Ecstasy" tablets, 595 Erimin-5 tablets and 80g of ketamine, CNB said in a news release on Friday (April 21).

Areas covered in the operation included Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bukit Panjang, Chai Chee, Geylang, Jurong, Punggol, Sengkang, West Coast and Woodlands.

The operation, which was supported by the Singapore Police Force, began on Monday (April 17) morning and ended on Friday morning.

In one of the cases, CNB officers arrested a 32-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman near Woodlands Square on Monday.

The Singaporean pair were taken to their rented car, where 920g, 21 Ecstasy tablets, some Ice and drug-taking utensils were found.

The man was searched and officers recovered from him various drugs including 57g of Ice, 63 Ecstasy tablets, 11 Erimin-5 tablets and a small amount of heroin.

Both suspects were led to their hideout, a private apartment unit near Stevens Road.

There, officers found about 111g of heroin, 138g of Ice and six Ecstasy tablets.

For trafficking more than 15g of diamorphine or pure heroin, a convicted drug trafficker can face the death penalty. This amount of diamorphine is equivalent to 1,250 straws, which is enough to feed the addiction of about 180 abusers for a week. This is estimated using a typical purity level of 4 per cent, based on drug seizures in recent years.

Mr Ong Pang Thong, director, Enforcement Sector-I at CNB, said CNB will not let up on its enforcement efforts against drugs and drug abuse.

"However, CNB needs the continued support of the community, especially parents, to actively help us in spreading and reinforcing the anti-drug message. Parents should start the conversation on drugs early with their child to guide them away from drugs," he said.

He referred parents to CNB's preventive drug education portal, for tips on how to engage their children, at http://www.cnb.gov.sg/cnbpde/parents/default.aspx.