SINGAPORE - The authorities have arrested 92 suspected drug offenders and seized various drugs, including cannabis and heroin, in an islandwide operation.
The drugs are estimated to have a total street value of about $19,000.
In a statement on Friday (Feb 15), the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said that 116g of new psychoactive substances, 111g of cannabis, 58g of "Ice", 54g of ketamine, 9g of heroin, 296 Ecstasy tablets and 12 Erimin-5 tablets were seized in the four-day operation that started on Monday morning.
Erimin-5 and Ice are street names for Nimetazepam, a hypnotic drug, and methamphetamine, respectively.
Areas covered in the islandwide operation included Buangkok, Choa Chu Kang, Geylang, Jurong, Marsiling, Pasir Ris, Toa Payoh, Woodlands and Yishun.
In one of the cases, CNB officers raided a unit in a private apartment near River Valley Close on Monday morning.
A 39-year-old Singaporean man suspected of drug trafficking was arrested.
In total, 10g of Ice, 24g of ketamine, 91g of cannabis, 10 Erimin-5 tablets and 42 Ecstasy tablets were recovered from the unit.
More than $7,000 in cash, some foreign currencies and various drug paraphernalia, such as drug-taking apparatuses and a digital weighing scale, were also seized.
CNB officers also recovered one Erimin-5 tablet and a variety of unknown tablets from the taxi driven by the 39-year-old suspect.
In a separate case, two suspected drug abusers aged 18 and 28, both Singaporean men, were arrested by CNB officers at a unit near Marsiling Lane on Monday.
A small amount of Ice was recovered from the 28-year-old suspect's bedroom, where his seven-year-old son was sleeping.
Preliminary investigations found that both suspects have been abusing drugs in the unit, CNB said.
In another case, CNB officers arrested two suspected drug abusers, a 36-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both Singaporean, at a unit near Buangkok Crescent on Tuesday morning.
Various drug-taking apparatuses and 114 unknown tablets were seized from the unit.
Two children, a five-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl, were present during the arrest.
CNB's preliminary investigations found that the female suspect had abused methamphetamine on Monday despite being eight months pregnant.
The children are under the care of suitable family members, CNB said, adding that they are working closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development to oversee their welfare and ensure that they continue to receive the necessary support.
CNB is investigating the drug activities of all the arrested suspects.
