PICTURES

CNB intercepts 6.25kg of Ice at T3, largest seizure of the drug in a single op this year

A close-up shot of the luggage seized in the CNB operation on Aug 23, 2013. -- PHOTO: CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
A close-up shot of the luggage seized in the CNB operation on Aug 23, 2013. -- PHOTO: CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
Items seized in the CNB operation on Aug 23, 2013. -- PHOTO: CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
‘Ice’ seized in the CNB operation on Aug 23, 2013. -- PHOTO: CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

Officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) intercepted a 6.25kg of methamphetamine, or the controlled drug known by its streetname Ice, on Friday at Changi Airport Terminal 3 (T3).

"This is the largest 'Ice' seizure in a single operation for the year so far," said a CNB spokesman in a statement out on Saturday.

The drugs were found in a luggage registered to a 22-year-old female Vietnamese national, who was subsequently arrested at T3. She was scheduled to leave for a third country in the region.

The drugs, worth about $1.25m, were found hidden in the false compartments of the woman's luggage. CNB director Ng Ser Song on Saturday warned drug offenders who make use of Singapore's excellent connectivity as a transit hub for illegal drug activities. "We will continue to intensify our enforcement efforts," he said.

The haul came about after a narcotics officer spotted an unclaimed luggage at T3 and with officers from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers proceeded to screen it.

ICA officers then detected anomalies in the luggage upon screening. Investigations are on-going.

Ice and the rising number of Chinese drug abusers were among the points of concern when the CNB released its mid-year drug situation report on Monday.

Statistics showed that for the first six months of this year, new Ice abusers made up almost 60 per cent of all new abusers arrested.

While this proportion is largely unchanged compared with the same period last year, the total number of abusers arrested for Ice has gone up - from 519 in the first six months of last year, to 564 in the same period this year.

Meanwhile, 22.5kg of Ice was seized between January and June this year, a sharp increase from 9.5kg in the first half of last year. Most of it was meant for overseas markets.

Ice, Singapore's second-most abused drug after heroin, is a well-known party drug said to be popular with youngsters.

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