Singapore, known for having some of the world's harshest anti-drug laws, gave death penalties to two drug traffickers last year. While recreational cannabis is legal in some countries, it is strictly banned in Singapore. A Singapore man has been sentenced to four years in prison for attempting to incriminate his wife by planting cannabis in her car.
Tan Xianglong planted 500 grams of cannabis in his wife's vehicle, fully aware that possessing such a large amount could result in the death penalty under Singapore's strict drug laws, reported The Straits Times.
Singapore, known for having some of the world's harshest anti-drug laws, gave death penalties to two drug traffickers last year. While recreational cannabis is legal in some countries, it is strictly banned in Singapore. Mere possession or use of cannabis can lead to up to 10 years in prison, and trafficking the drug carries a death sentence.
Court documents cited by the BBC revealed that Tan’s intention was "to scare the involved party and to also get her in trouble with the law."
The documents added, “He understood that the involved party would be wrongly arrested and charged with a serious crime if his plan succeeded.”
Tan even boasted about his “perfect crime” in Telegram messages exchanged with his girlfriend. On Thursday (August 29), Tan received a prison sentence of three years and ten months for cannabis possession.
The 37-year-old devised this plan to frame his wife after they got separated. The couple married in 2021 but separated the following year.
Due to Singapore's law, which requires couples to be married for at least three years before filing for divorce, Tan thought that his wife’s involvement in a criminal case might allow him to get a divorce.
In October 2023, Tan purchased a block of cannabis from a Telegram group, weighed it to ensure it exceeded 500 grams, and placed it in his wife’s car the next day.
However, Tan missed the fact that his wife’s car had a camera that recorded his actions. After reviewing the live footage and seeing her estranged husband near her vehicle, she reported him to the police for harassment. The recorded footage ultimately led to him to jail for attempting to frame his wife.
Source: Agencies, Staff, August 30, 2024
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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
— Oscar Wilde
