The seizure of nearly 18kg of heroin in a Malaysia-registered car at the Woodlands Checkpoint is reportedly the biggest haul of its kind in the city-state in two decades.
Recently, three suspected Malaysian drug offenders were nabbed in Singapore after an attempt to smuggle nearly 18kg of heroin was foiled by the city-state's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA)
According to Singapore's primary drug enforcement agency Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), all three Malaysians are male, aged between 23 and 28, and were arrested at multiple locations over 18 and 19 May.
ICA and CNB, in a joint statement on Friday, 20 May, said that ICA officers foiled the smuggling of about 17,704g of heroin, 261g of 'Ice', and 2g of 'Ecstasy' tablets being transported in a Malaysia-registered car.
The Malaysia-registered car was entering Singapore via the Woodlands Checkpoint on the evening of 18 May. However, during the routine check at the immigration clearance lane at the Arrival Car Zone, ICA officers found bundles of suspected drugs in the car boot, the statement added.
The driver, aged 28, was detained at the scene and referred to CNB for investigation, while the other two men — believed by CNB officers to be the intended recipients — were arrested the following day.
Singapore media has described the seizure as the largest reported haul of the drug since 2001 when officers seized 34.8kg of heroin
"The drugs seized are estimated to be worth close to SGD1,295,000 (RM4,119,887) and [are] sufficient to feed the addiction of about 8,430 heroin abusers and 150 'Ice' abusers for a week," the statement said.
Singapore, which has some of the world's toughest penalties for drug trafficking, has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and imposes long jail terms, or executes offenders by hanging.
"Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore. The ICA and CNB will continue to conduct security checks at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle undesirable persons, weapons, explosives, controlled drugs, and other contrabands across our borders," the statement added.
Human rights groups say that Singapore has hanged hundreds of people including many foreigners for drug offences over the past decades. Just last month, 34-year-old Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam was hanged.
Nagaenthran, a Malaysian man who had a lower-than-average IQ of 69, was arrested in 2009 for bringing 42.7g of heroin into Singapore. He was on death row for more than a decade.
, Sadho Ram, May 21, 2022
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