The authorities on Wednesday seized the largest haul of heroin for 2014 when a Malaysian drug trafficker tried to smuggle nearly 9.3kg of the substance through Woodlands Checkpoint.
At about 7.30am that day, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers conducted a routine check on a Malaysia-registered Toyota sport utility vehicle and found packets of a brown substance, suspected to be heroin, under the rear passenger seat.
It was driven by a 28-year-old Malaysian man, the ICA and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a joint statement yesterday.
A total of 20 packets of heroin, weighing about 9.27kg, were seized. The drugs have a street value of about $650,000.
Following immediate investigations, CNB officers arrested another Malaysian man, 27, who is believed to be an associate of the first suspect, near the Woodlands Town Garden.
Both men are being investigated.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, traffickers face the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine (or pure heroin) trafficked exceeds 15g, which is enough to feed the addiction of about 180 drug abusers for a week.
The last significant heroin bust took place in September last year when nearly 6.5kg of the drug was seized by the CNB.
In that operation, two men - believed to be ringleaders of a drug syndicate - were arrested.
DANSON CHEONG
