New saliva test kits speed up drug screening for CNB
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A club patron getting his saliva sample collected under the supervision of a CNB officer, during an enforcement raid.
ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
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SINGAPORE - Patrons at two entertainment outlets in the city were subjected to quicker on-site drug screening on Friday night with the use of new saliva test kits.
The operation, led by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), began on Friday night and ended early Saturday morning, and targeted a KTV lounge in Orchard Road and a nightclub near Jalan Sultan.
Unlike previous operations, where suspects were taken back to CNB for urine tests, only those who test positive on the saliva kit are detained for further investigation.
On Friday, close to 240 people in the two nightlife establishments were checked and several were tested with the saliva test kits on suspicion of drug use.
A 43-year-old Singaporean man was arrested for suspected drug-related offences. Another man, 31, was arrested for being a suspected member of an unlawful society.
CNB said operations like those conducted on Friday help keep drugs off the streets and out of the nightlife and party scene. They are part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal drug activities.
Superintendent Lim Sze Yuk, commanding officer of Enforcement G Division, said: “Today, saliva (testing) was introduced into a suite of tools to increase our testing capacity. Officers can now choose to deploy (saliva test kits) on the spot to supplement other factors before deciding to arrest a person.”
CNB officers arrested a 43-year-old man for suspected drug offences at a KTV near Orchard Road during its anti-drug enforcement operations.
ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
Since January 2023, saliva test kits have been deployed at immigration checkpoints and road blocks.
At the two entertainment venues on Friday, patrons who were identified for the drug screening were first separated and had their identities verified. There were more than 100 patrons at each of the nightspots.
The operation was supported by the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force. It is believed to be one of CNB’s major operations post-pandemic.
In designated rooms at the KTV and club, CNB officers explained to the subjects how the tests were to be conducted and showed them the correct way to collect saliva samples.
Roughly three times bigger than an antigen rapid test kit, the portable and non-invasive saliva test kit works like the Covid-19 test kit.
CNB officers checking a window on a saliva test kit. If two lines appear, it means the test has detected drugs in the suspect's saliva.
ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
When saliva is put into the individually marked test kits, it takes about 10 minutes to get the results. Two lines in the test kit’s window means the suspect has tested positive for drug consumption.
The test kit is able to detect from a suspect’s saliva illicit drugs such as cannabis, methamphetamines and opiates, among others. The drugs bond with the antibodies in the test kit.
The saliva test kit is inserted into a portable digital device which is able to show the results as well as make a print out of it.
ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
To supplement the drug screening process, a portable digital device is used in combination with the saliva test kit. The test kit is inserted into the device which has an integrated printer for quick documentation of the test results.
While the drug screening was under way, other CNB officers checked for drugs on patrons by searching their belongings.
