Seven suspects nabbed with 2.2kg of drugs by CNB and ICA

More than 2kg of controlled drugs were seized following the arrest of a Malaysian at Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday morning. -- PHOTO: IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY/ CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
More than 2kg of controlled drugs were seized following the arrest of a Malaysian at Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday morning. -- PHOTO: IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY/ CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
The vehicle related to the seizure of more than 2kg of controlled drugs at Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday morning. -- PHOTO: IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY/ CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
More than 2kg of controlled drugs were seized following the arrest of a Malaysian at Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday morning. -- PHOTO: IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY/ CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

More than 2kg of controlled drugs, including heroin, with a street value of $170,000 were seized following the arrest of a Malaysian at Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday morning.

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a joint statement on Saturday that the male suspect was driving a Malaysia-registered car through the checkpoint when he was stopped by ICA officers at 8.45am.

"In the course of inspection, the ICA officers found bundles wrapped with black masking tape, suspected to be controlled drugs, hidden in the car's front fenders," said the two Home Team agencies. "The seized bundles contained a total of about 1,153g of heroin and 185g of cannabis amounting to a potential street value of more than $127,000."

Subsequent investigations later led the CNB to other suspects in Bedok and Tampines where four more men and two women were nabbed with other drugs such as Ice, Ecstasy and Erimin-5 tablets, as well as drug paraphernalia.

CNB officers managed to track down three suspects believed to be linked to the 33-year-old Malaysian nabbed at the checkpoint, in a Bedok HDB flat at about noon on Friday.

A 57-year-old Singaporean man and two women - a Singaporean and Indonesian, aged 41 and 28 respectively - were arrested with an assortment of drugs, including about 136g of heroin, small amounts of Ice, Ecstasy and Erimin-5 tablets. Drug-related paraphernalia were also seized from the unit.

About an hour later, a second team of CNB officers moved in on another HDB flat in Tampines and arrested three Singaporean men between the ages of 27 and 38. About 700g of cannabis, 371 Erimin-5 tablets and small amounts of Ice and heroin were recovered from the unit.

In total, the drug busts from the check by ICA at Woodlands Checkpoint and the two subsequent raids in Bedok and Tampines yielded about 2.2kg of drugs worth about $170,000, said the two agencies. "The total heroin seized would sustain about 615 addicts for a week," they added.

"The Home Team agencies will continue to conduct checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands," said the ICA and CNB.

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