CNB hauls 2.5kg heroin & 2kg cannabis, worth S$353,000, off the streets. Group of 8 suspects arrested.

In an operation targeted at drug trafficking in Singapore conducted on 11 April 2013, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) seized about 2,580g of heroin and 1,980g of cannabis in one fell swoop. Other drugs seized included about 83g of ‘Ice’ and 70 Erimin-5 tablets. The drugs are estimated to worth more than S$353,000. A total of 8 suspects were arrested in connection with the drugs seized.

In the afternoon of 11 April 2013, in the vicinity of Tuas South Avenue 8, CNB officers were deployed at the area to observe a suspected drug courier who was believed to be distributing sizeable amount of drugs to other drug couriers and local drug traffickers. At about 1:50pm, officers spotted the suspected courier by himself, near a trailer, seemingly waiting for people. Awhile later, CNB officers observed that a taxi with two male passengers arrived in the area and both passengers met up with the suspected courier. One of the passengers followed the suspected courier into the trailer cabin, while the other male flagged down a taxi. The male passenger then came down from the trailer cabin and both men left in the taxi that was just flagged.

At about 2:25pm, a team of CNB officers intercepted the taxi at the junction of Tuas South Avenue 5 and Tuas South Avenue 8, and placed both men, a 19-year-old Malaysian and a 49-year-old Malaysian, under arrest. A bag containing a block of cannabis, weighing about 990g, was recovered from the back passenger seats, in between the two men. The passport of the 19-year-old Malaysian was also found within the bag that contained the cannabis.

Concurrently, another team of CNB officers who had kept observation on the suspected drug courier moved in to arrest the man, a 32-year-old Malaysian. Following this arrest, CNB officers conducted follow-up investigation and established that several drug traffickers are expected to be collecting drugs from the man. A follow-up operation was immediately launched to apprehend them.

From the follow-up operation, five other suspected drug traffickers, one Malaysian and four Singaporeans, were arrested. The youngest is a 21-year-old male Malaysian and the oldest is a 41-year-old male Singaporean. A total of about 180g of heroin, 50g of ‘Ice’, 70 Erimin-5 tablets, drug paraphernalia and cash amounting to S$13,210 were seized from these five men.

A search on the trailer was conducted by CNB officers. From the trailer cabin, officers recovered about 2,400g of heroin, 990g of cannabis, 33g of ‘Ice’ and cash amounting to S$190 and RM$300. All the suspects arrested in this operation will be investigated for drug trafficking.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
12 APRIL 2013