In a recent islandwide anti-drug operation conducted by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) from May 6 to 17, 2024, a total of 159 suspected drug offenders were arrested. Among them was an 18-year-old Singaporean man who was allegedly attempting to cultivate cannabis plants in his Yishun home.
The CNB reported that a pot with a cannabis plant and three pots containing dried-up remnants of cannabis plants were recovered from a cupboard in the man’s home, located in the vicinity of Yishun Avenue 3. Various drug paraphernalia and plant cultivation paraphernalia, including soil and organic compost, were also found.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the teenager had been trying to cultivate cannabis plants for about a month. His arrest was part of the larger anti-drug operation that took place in areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Fernvale, Geylang Bahru, Hougang, Pasir Ris, Sembawang, Teck Whye, and Yishun.
In another case, CNB officers encountered a one-year-old toddler while raiding another home on May 7. The child’s mother, a 39-year-old Singaporean, is a suspected drug abuser. The toddler has since been placed in the care of a close relative of the woman.
The operation also led to the arrest of a 52-year-old man and his 14-year-old son after their home near Fernvale Road was raided on May 6. The man was arrested for suspected drug trafficking, while his son was arrested for suspected drug consumption. Both are Singaporeans.
CNB seized a total of 937g of heroin, 376g of Ice, 161g of cannabis, 6g of ketamine, 102 Yaba tablets, 32 ecstasy tablets, 22 Erimin-5 tablets, one LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) stamp, three bottles of liquid suspected to contain GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), and four pots of cannabis plants. The drugs seized have an estimated street value of about S$221,000.
In a statement, CNB deputy director of policy and administration Sng Chern Hong said, “About two in five of those arrested in this islandwide operation were below 30, with the youngest a drug abuser aged only 14.” He added, “Familial and inter-generational drug abuse contamination are real. This is a stark manifestation of the untold harm and destruction brought on by drugs on families and society.”
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, those found guilty of cultivating cannabis plants face a minimum of three years in jail, a S$5,000 fine, or both.
This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts by the authorities to combat drug-related activities in Singapore. It also highlights the importance of community vigilance and the need for continued education and awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.