Singapore- Four suspected drug offenders were arrested and synthetic cannabis oil, cannabis, and heroin estimated to be worth $100,000 were seized in two separate Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) operations over two days.
In the first operation, on Tuesday (Feb 7), the bureau was alerted to a suspicious parcel containing a packet of vegetable matter believed to be cannabis and four bottles of suspected synthetic cannabis oil.
Following investigations, CNB officers raided the home of a 21-year-old man, the intended recipient of the parcel, and arrested him. The items were ordered online. CNB officers also found another four bottles of suspected synthetic cannabis oil.
In a statement on Wednesday (Feb 8), CNB said cannabis is a Class A controlled drug listed in the Misuse of Drugs Act. Unauthorised consumption, possession, trafficking, import or export of any Class A controlled drug is an offence.
"There have been claims made about the efficacy of cannabis as a medicine. However, such claims are inconclusive and unproven," a spokesman said.
Experts from Singapore's Institute of Mental Health had conducted an independent literature review on cannabis, where more than 500 articles from reputable medical journals were studied.
The findings were clear that cannabis is harmful and addictive, especially to young people, and half of the daily users of cannabis develop a dependence on cannabis. Cannabis can also cause irreversible damage to a person's brain development, the spokesman added.
In the second case, on Wednesday (Feb 8), three suspected drug traffickers were arrested, and 1.6kg of heroin, with an estimated street worth of more than $100,000 was seized. CNB officers were deployed in the vicinity of Jurong West Street 52 to observe a suspected local drug trafficker.
At about 7.20am, CNB officers raided the suspected drug trafficker's home and arrested a 47-year-old Singaporean man. About 240g of heroin were found concealed in two separate shoes on a shoe rack outside the flat, and about 1,350g of heroin were recovered from the storeroom of the flat. Cash of S$97,500 was also recovered hidden inside the refrigerator in the kitchen.
Another party of CNB officers arrested another two Malaysian men, aged 30 and 33, who are suspected to be drug traffickers. They were arrested in the carpark in the same area.
A search was conducted on the two men and cash of $6,900 was recovered from the 30-year-old.
Investigations into the drug activities of all arrested suspects are ongoing. The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine, or pure heroin, trafficked exceeds 15g. For instance, 15g of diamorphine is equivalent to 1,250 straws, which is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 180 abusers for a week.
