Even though Singapore has one of the toughest rules against drug-related offences, many offenders and drug abusers are still trying their petty tactics. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), which conducted an operation on Tuesday, April 30, nabbed four suspected drug offenders and seized drugs worth S$183,000.
CNB said on Tuesday that its officers conducted the search operation in the vicinity of Joo Chiat Place. One Singaporean male and a female from abroad, aged 48 and 33 respectively, were arrested due to their suspected involvement in drug-related activities.
From them the officers recovered almost 1,995g of heroin, 424g of 'Ice', 15 'Ecstasy' tablets, 15 Erimin-5 tablets, 4,000g of crystalline substance, 2,260g of a pink-coloured powdery substance, 1,300g of green-coloured powdery substance and 50g of white-coloured powdery substance and a small amount of cannabis.
In a news release, CNB stated that the seized crystalline substance is suspected to be 'Ice' and the coloured powdery substances are suspected to contain ketamine.
Later, two other alleged offenders, believed to be connected to the 48-year-old male suspect, were arrested by CNB officers. Another 35-year-old Singaporean male suspected drug abuser was nabbed from the vicinity of Joo Chiat Place, while one more 26-year-old Malaysian male was nabbed at a traffic junction along Toh Guan Road. As per the statement by the bureau, about S$13,800 worth drugs were recovered from the Malaysian offender.
"Investigations into the drug activities of all the suspects are ongoing. (It may be noted that) 1,995g of heroin is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 950 abusers for a week, 424g of 'Ice' is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 242 abusers for a week," CNB stated.
Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act says that any person who is proved to have had in his possession more than,
- whether or not contained in any substance, extract, preparation or mixture, shall be presumed to have had that drug in possession for the purpose of trafficking unless it is proved that his possession of that drug was not for that purpose.
The Act also clearly states that if a person convicted of drug trafficking more than 500 g of cannabis may face the death penalty.