More than $150,000 worth of drugs seized, syndicate leader and four others arrested in CNB operation

Some of the drugs and money seized in the CNB operation on Nov 17, 2015. PHOTO: CNB

SINGAPORE - A drug bust conducted by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has resulted in the arrest of a suspected syndicate leader and four drug suspects.

CNB officers seized 1.5kg of heroin, 1.1kg of cannabis and an assortment of other drugs worth over $158,000 in an operation on Tuesday (Nov 17). More than $7,600 in cash was also seized.

In a press release on Wednesday, CNB said it had deployed officers in the vicinity of Kembangan as a local drug trafficker was believed to have been waiting for a fresh consignment of drugs.

They spotted the suspected trafficker, a 57-year-old Singaporean man, boarding the car of a 34-year-old Malaysian man just before noon and tailed them.

He was next seen alighting from the car along Still Road South clutching a paper bag at 12.15pm, when CNB officers moved in to arrest him. Most of the drugs were found in the bag and on his body, along with around $2,600 in cash.

A raid was then carried out on the man's hideout, a private apartment near Siglap Road, where officers arrested a suspected drug abuser, a 35-year-old woman.

About 5g of Ice was found in her possession, while around 110g of ketamine and some methadone were also recovered from the apartment.

CNB officers separately tailed the Malaysian man's car to the basement carpark of a Jurong shopping mall, and arrested him when he alighted. Cash of more than $5,000 and some Malaysian currency were seized.

On the same day, a follow-up investigation led to the arrest of a suspected drug syndicate leader - a 28-year-old Singaporean man - and his associate, a 25-year-old Singaporean woman, in Tampines.

The syndicate leader is believed to have been coordinating drug consignments for local drug traffickers.

Investigations into the drug activities of the five suspects are ongoing.

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