SINGAPORE – More than 100 suspected drug offenders were nabbed in a nine-day blitz in which drugs worth $17,200 were seized.
The islandwide raids took place from July 10 to 18 and covered areas including Boon Lay, Jurong, Sengkang, Tampines and Yishun, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said on Monday.
The youngest suspect arrested was a 15-year-old girl.
The bureau seized 223g of cannabis, 54g of heroin, 41g of ice or methamphetamine, 2g of psilocybin mushrooms with spores and 1g of ketamine.
The CNB also seized five Ecstasy tablets, seven LSD stamps, two bottles of GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and 27 nitrazepam tablets.
A person found guilty of trafficking more than 15g of pure heroin faces the mandatory death penalty.
On July 13, CNB officers arrested a 57-year-old woman, her 25-year-old daughter and 21-year-old son at a residential unit near Champions Way in Woodlands for suspected drug abuse, and found drug utensils in the unit.
Two other children, aged three and four, were also found in the unit and subsequently placed under the custody of their next of kin.
Another raid on a residential unit near Fernvale Lane on July 18 morning resulted in the arrest of six Singaporeans, aged between 21 and 27, for suspected drug offences. During the raid, 23g of a substance believed to be cannabis, 1g of ketamine and four LSD stamps were seized.
CNB said preliminary investigations suggest the group may have abused drugs together in the unit on other occasions.
On the same day, CNB officers arrested a 23-year-old Singaporean man at a residential unit near Jurong West Street 42 after he was found with about 2g of psilocybin mushrooms with spores, three LSD stamps, 3g of a substance believed to be cannabis and drug utensils.
A 17-year-old student was also arrested near Potong Pasir Avenue 1 after he was discovered with biscuits with cannabis sprinkled on it. This eventually led to the arrest of two other Singaporean students, both aged 18, for suspected drug abuse offences.
Superintendent Royce Chua, commanding officer of CNB Enforcement F and L Divisions, pointed out that groups of young people and even a family were caught during these raids.
He said: “We urge parents and family members to have early conversations with your children on the harms of drugs, and to learn more about whom they might be spending time with and what they might be doing when they are out, and even when they are at home, so that their children can stay away from drugs and have the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest potential.”
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, it is an offence for a person to arrange for gatherings for drug abuse. It is also an offence for the premises’ owner, tenant or occupier to permit the premises to be used for drug abuse or drug trafficking.
Investigations are ongoing.
