Girl, 16, among 67 people nabbed for suspected drug offences
A total of 67 people, including a 16-year-old girl,were arrested for suspected drug offences during a six-day island-wide anti-drug operation by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).
In a statement on April 26, CNB said the estimated street value of the drugs seized is $62,000. They include cannabis, heroin and ketamine.
The areas covered during the operation – which took place from April 21 to April 26 – included Aljunied, Beach Road, Bukit Batok, Bukit Merah and Corporation Drive.
One of the suspects, a 50-year-old Singaporean man, was arrested after officers raided a residential unit in the vicinity of Bukit Batok West Avenue 4 on the evening of April 21.
After a search of the unit, about 133g of cannabis, 10 Erimin-5 tablets, three Ecstasy tablets, a small amount of Ice, various drug paraphernalia and cash amounting to $9,081 was recovered.
The man was then escorted by officers to his rental car parked nearby where about 33g of heroin and two Ecstasy tablets were found in the car.
Another 46-year-old Singaporean man was arrested on April 23 after a raid at a residential unit in the vicinity of Corporation Drive.
About 314g of cannabis, including a whole cannabis leaf, a small amount of Ice and various drug paraphernalia were found in his unit.
Mr Sng Chern Hong, Assistant Commissioner and deputy director of CNB (policy and administration), said: “Possession of any part of the cannabis plant is an offence. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, ‘cannabis’ means any part of a plant of the genus Cannabis, or any part of such plant, by whatever name it is called.
“CNB would like to caution members of the public, that they should not purchase and keep any such part or parts of cannabis plants as it will be an offence under the law.”
Figures released by CNB on Feb 14 showed that the number of drug abusers arrested in 2023 spiked by 10 per cent to 3,101, compared with 2,826 arrested in 2022.
Of those arrested in 2023, 944 were new drug abusers, an 18 per cent increase from 802 in 2022.
More than half of the new abusers arrested were below 30.
A person found guilty of possession of cannabis where the quantity is less than 330g, may be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in jail or $20,000 fine or both.
Investigations into all arrested suspects are ongoing.
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