After two years of collaborative investigations, Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and Malaysia’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) dismantled one of the biggest drug trafficking syndicates operating across both countries in an operation that successfully nabbed the 46-year-old Singaporean kingpin running it.
On Feb 4, the Singaporean fugitive and his drug associates were arrested in Johor Bahru, where NCID officers raided his residence in Malaysia, seizing a total of 580 grams of heroin,370 grams of meth, 350 grams of ketamine, 150 Ecstasy tables, 4,450 Erimin-5 tablets and cash amounting to RM48,280.
The kingpin fled Singapore while on bail in 2011, when he was facing charges for drug consumption here. Basing himself in Malaysia, he soon became the leader of a large syndicate and coordinated a drug supply chain, providing heroin, meth, Ecstasy, ketamine, Erimin-5 and cannabis to Singaporean drug traffickers who smuggled them across the borders through land checkpoints.
Investigations on the syndicate’s activities began in 2012 — since then, 14 operations were launched, 40 drug offenders were caught and 8 kilograms of heroin, 1.7 kilograms of meth, 1.9 kilograms of cannabis and other drugs have been seized.
“The successful conclusion of the protracted investigation against this drug syndicate is a result of the firm resolve and commitment of CNB and NCID to take down drug syndicates. Drug syndicates operate with no respect for national borders,” enthuses CNB director Ng Ser Song.
“I would like to extend my appreciation to my NCID counterpart, Acting Director Dato’ Haris Wong, for NCID’s partnership to dismantle this syndicate which is responsible for trafficking in large quantities of drugs. CNB will continue to collaborate with our regional counterparts to tackle the drug scourge to stop the flow of drugs, both upstream and at street level.”
Photo: CNB newsroom
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