Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers arrested six men and two women and seized a total of 10kg of heroin with a street value of $1.5 million - the biggest haul in the last five years.

Cash totalling $400,000 was also found in the Chinatown home of the suspected syndicate leader and those of his reputed associates in Jalan Bukit Merah and Bendemeer.

The 38-year-old suspected ringleader, said to be working as an executive, was arrested at a carpark near his flat at New Market Road on Monday.

The suspect fought with police for about a minute, injuring the face of one of the officers, before being subdued, said CNB deputy director S. Vijakumar.

Officers found packets of the white powder hidden in a spare tyre in the boot of a black Nissan Sunny they said belonged to the suspected ringleader. They also recovered equipment used to inhale the synthetic drug Ice, a methamphetamine.

Mr Vijakumar said the bureau got wind of the syndicate two months ago.

Police believe the syndicate used couriers from both Singapore and overseas. But the people arrested yesterday were all Singaporeans.

The alleged syndicate leader and five suspected couriers and associates - four men aged between 34 and 59 and a 50-year-old woman - face the death penalty if convicted of trafficking.

Two other people - a 20-year-old female, whom police said is the girlfriend of the reputed ringleader, and a man in his mid-20s - were also picked up on suspicion of drug consumption, said the CNB.

Officers also seized 45g of Ice, 68 tablets of tranquilliser Erimin-5 and four Subutex pills from the homes of the alleged associates.

Mr Vijakumar said the suspects 'were not new to the game'. They are also said to have secret society links.

He said: 'They are taking advantage of their networks and connections to bring the drugs.'

The CNB's last two major heroin seizures, in November and December last year, created a 'vacuum' which this syndicate wanted to take advantage of, said Mr Vijakumar.

Heroin has been making a comeback across South-east Asia in recent months, buoyed by a bumper crop of opium in Myanmar.

The number of heroin users arrested here last year jumped to 670 from just 116 in 2006.

After Subutex - a drug meant to wean addicts off heroin - was banned in August 2006 because it was becoming equally addictive, the authorities have seen an increase in heroin abuse and trafficking.

Out of the 769 drug traffickers arrested last year, 286 smuggled in heroin.

jermync@sph.com.sg

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY TEH JOO LIN