16-year-old girl among 145 arrested in islandwide drug sweep

Drugs with an estimated street value of $354,000 were also seized during the operation conducted from May 5 to 19. PHOTOS: CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

SINGAPORE - A 16-year-old girl was among the 145 people arrested for suspected drug offences during a two-week islandwide sweep.

Drugs with an estimated street value of $354,000 were also seized during the operation conducted from May 5 to 19, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said on Friday.

The controlled drugs included 1.7kg of heroin, 1.37kg of Ice, or methamphetamine, 348g of cannabis, 20g of ketamine, 133 Ecstasy tablets weighing about 60g, 50 Erimin-5 tablets, 74 Tapendatol tablets, and four bottles of liquid suspected to contain GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate).

A person found guilty of trafficking more than 15g of pure heroin faces the mandatory death penalty.

On May 5, CNB officers arrested two Singaporeans, a 37-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, for suspected drug trafficking offences in a hotel room in Geylang Road. Officers seized about 1.55kg of heroin, 702g of Ice, 60g worth of Ecstasy tablets and other drug paraphernalia.

A raid on a residential unit at Bedok South Avenue 2 on the morning of May 8 led to the arrest of six people, aged between 17 and 21, for suspected drug offences. One was a foreign national and the rest were Singaporeans. During the raid, 5.3g of Ice, 2.2g of cannabis and various drug paraphernalia were seized.

On the evening of May 11, a 16-year-old girl was arrested along with a 22-year-old man after they were found with 39g of Ice, 1g of ketamine, $2,139.50 in cash and various drug paraphernalia in a hotel in North Bridge Road.

CNB officers later arrested two men, aged 19 and 24, and escorted them to their vehicle, which was searched. The officers seized about 58g of Ice, 1g of cannabis, 48 Ecstasy tablets and various drug paraphernalia from their vehicle.

Investigations into all the suspects arrested are ongoing.

Superintendent Christopher Lee, Commanding Officer of CNB Enforcement A and E Divisions, said that during this series of anti-drug operations, CNB arrested groups of young people who are suspected to have abused drugs in a friend’s home or in a hotel room.

Citing the 2022 Health and Lifestyle Survey conducted by the Institute of Mental Health, he said that residences, whether one’s own home or a friend’s home, were the most common locations for drug consumption. He added that the mean age when people started abusing drugs was 15.9, and 52 per cent of them started with cannabis.

Supt Lee added: “It is crucial for parents and family members to be vigilant to warning signs of drug abuse and help their child seek help early. We strongly encourage parents to have conversations about the harms of drugs with their child early to build up their resilience against drugs and to help our young ones thrive and flourish in a safe and healthy environment.”

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