On 30 December 2024, the High Court convicted and sentenced a 58-year-old Singaporean man to 28 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking and drug money laundering offences1. The imposed sentence included a 38 months’ imprisonment for one of the drug money laundering charges, which involved the removal of benefits of drug dealing from jurisdiction. This is the highest sentence for a drug money laundering offence involving benefits from drug dealing thus far.
Case Details
2. In late 2020, CNB’s investigations into two other accused persons revealed that the man was supplying drugs into Singapore and had been operating his drug trafficking activities in Malaysia since 2018. Several operations with links to the man were conducted between 2018 and 2023. Specific to the operation, the man was charged for a total of about 533g of 'Ice' and 20 'Ecstasy' tablets were seized. With the assistance of the Malaysian authorities, the man was arrested in Malaysia and repatriated to Singapore on 16 April 20232.
3. Working closely with the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office (STRO) of the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force (SPF), and members of the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Industry Partnership (ACIP)3, CNB was able to identify and thoroughly map out the money laundering network of a transnational drug syndicate involving the man.
4. Investigations revealed that the man had abetted his accomplices to traffic controlled drugs in Singapore while he was in Malaysia, and had laundered drug proceeds to the tune of $1,272,529.93 for the period between August 2020 and December 2021.
5. Under Section 46 of the CDSA (2000 Rev Ed), it is an offence for any person to acquire, possess, use, conceal, or transfer benefits of drug dealing. The maximum penalties are a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $500,000 or both.
6. Senior Assistant Commissioner Leon Chan, Acting Director of CNB said:
“The rise in transnational drug trafficking and drug money laundering activities demands a coordinated, multi-faceted approach. We thank our Malaysian counterparts, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the members of the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Industry Partnership (ACIP) for lending their support in these investigations, which led to the arrests and convictions of numerous drug traffickers; and dismantling of a transnational drug syndicate. The collaborations between CNB, SPF and the Financial Institutions within ACIP are a testament to effective public-private partnership in tackling the increasingly sophisticated drug money laundering activities.
CNB stands committed to working with our foreign and local counterparts, as well as our industry and community partners to disrupt transnational criminal networks and safeguard our country against the menace of drug trafficking activities.”
7. CNB will continue to actively pursue and investigate illegal drug activities, including drug money laundering, to clamp down on these criminal activities and deprive drug offenders of their illicit financial gains derived from drug dealing. The Government will continuously enhance our laws to ensure that they remain effective in addressing the evolving crime landscape and aligned with the international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)4.
8. The cases against two of the man’s accomplices are ongoing before the Courts.
CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
24 January 2025
1 The man faced a total of 10 counts of drug trafficking offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), one count of possession of a false passport under the Passports Act, and 12 counts of drug money laundering offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA). Of which, one count of drug trafficking and four counts of drug money laundering charges were proceeded. The 18 remaining charges were taken into consideration for the purposes of sentencing. The man has since filed a notice of appeal against his sentence.
2 CNB News Release: Man Wanted for Drug Trafficking in Singapore Arrested in Malaysia; Returns to Singapore to Face Charges
3 Established in 2017, ACIP is co-chaired by the Commercial Affairs Department of the SPF and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, with a Steering Group comprising the Association of Banks in Singapore and nine banks in Singapore. The private-public partnership works together to collaboratively identify, assess, and mitigate key and emerging money laundering and terrorism financing risks facing Singapore.
4 The FATF is an intergovernmental body that develops international standards to fight money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing. Singapore is a member of the FATF.
