Malaysian Caught In Singapore With 18kg Of Drugs, Enough To Feed More Than 8,500 Addicts For A Week

The haul is the largest reported since 2001 when officers seized 34.8kg of heroin.

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Singapore’s anti-narcotics agency seized a car that arrived in the republic from Malaysia carrying almost 18 kilograms of heroin.

The seizure was reported by local media in the neighbouring country as Singapore’s biggest arrest in two decades.

According to the Central Narcotics Bureau, the agency had arrested three Malaysian men aged between 23 and 28 following the inspection of the vehicle at Woddlands Checkpoint last Wednesday.

Singapore authorities found 17.7 kg of heroin, 261gm of crystal methamphetamine and 2 grams of ecstasy pills.

On 18 May, ICA seized close to 18kg of heroin at Woodlands Checkpoint.
This prompted subsequent enforcement operations by CNB, with three suspected drug offenders arrested.

Read on: https://t.co/AwidoBLDE9 pic.twitter.com/aFkGdglsp9
— ICA Singapore (@ICA_singapore) May 20, 2022

The car driver was arrested at the scene, while two other men were arrested the next day.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a joint news release that ICA officers found 17,704g of heroin, 261g of Ice (crystal methamphetamine) and 2g of ecstasy tablets.

The drugs seized are estimated to be worth about SGD1.3 million (RM4.4 million) and is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 8,430 heroin abusers and 150 ice abusers for a week.

What Happens If You Get Caught With Drugs In Singapore?

Singapore is among the countries with the heaviest penalties in the world for drug trafficking, including the death penalty.

The possession, consumption, manufacturing, import, export, or trafficking of these and other controlled drugs in any amount are illegal.

Under Singapore’s drug laws – which are among the toughest in the world – those caught carrying more than 15g of heroin or 250gm of methamphetamine are subject to the death penalty.

Persons caught with less than the Mandatory Death Penalty amounts of these controlled substances face penalties ranging from caning (up to 24 strokes) to life in prison.

Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, a Malaysian with learning disabilities who was convicted of drug trafficking in 2010 and whose case attracted global attention, was recently executed in Singapore’s Changi prison.