The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested a total of 3,158 drug abusers in 2014, a decrease of 12% from the 3,581 drug abusers arrested in 2013. The number of new drug abusers arrested in 2014 was 1,093, a 2% drop from 2013 when 1,110 new abusers were arrested. However, the proportion of new drug abusers has increased over 2013. About two-thirds of the new drug abusers were below 30 years of age.
Heroin and methamphetamine (or ‘Ice’) remained the two most commonly abused drugs, with about 92% of all drug abusers arrested having abused one or the other. Cannabis was the third most commonly abused drug in Singapore. While most abusers arrested generally abused one drug type, about 15% (or 478) of abusers arrested in 2014 were poly-drug abusers i.e. they consumed more than one drug type. The combination of heroin and methamphetamine was the most common among poly-drug abusers.
CNB continued with its intensive enforcement efforts to prevent drugs from entering and making their way to the streets of Singapore. In 2014, CNB conducted 52 major operations, including 20 island-wide operations, taking out 21 drug syndicates. The island-wide operations targeted middle-level drug traffickers, street-level pushers and drug abusers, and were supported by the Singapore Police Force (SPF). CNB also conducted 1,747 operations at the checkpoints with our Home Team counterparts, such as the SPF and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The drugs seized in 2014 were estimated to be worth S$8.17 million. This is approximately 60% lower than that seized in 2013. Of note however, is that cannabis seizures have increased by about 125%, from 15.57kg in 2013 to 35.03kg in 2014. While overall methamphetamine (‘Ice’) seizures decreased by about 72%, from 44.06kg in 2013 to 12.53kg in 2014, the amount of ‘Ice’ meant for the local market increased from 8.85kg to 9.18kg. The 9.18kg of ‘Ice’ is enough to sustain the addiction of about 1,200 abusers for one month.
Preventive drug education continues to be a key focus of CNB’s strategy. We organised large-scale events such as “DanceWorks!’ and the Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign to spread the anti-drug message to students and the general public. We also increased outreach to youths through various platforms such as forum-theatre style skits, roadshows and a collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic to organise an anti-drug games creation competition for secondary schools. These outreach efforts remind youths to stay away from drugs.
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