A 34-year-old Singaporean man has been found guilty of smuggling methamphetamine from Johor into Singapore using a drone, authorities confirmed. The man, identified as Helmie Shahrezza Bin Shahrom, conducted the operations from Kranji Reservoir Park, coordinating with accomplices across the Straits of Johor.
Court documents reveal that Helmie had been sourcing drugs from suppliers in Malaysia. He had known one of his associates, Mohamad Hasri Bin Ab Rahim, through previous drug dealings. In early 2020, Helmie met Mohamad Shahrezza Bin Mohammad Zuhri, who had drone-flying experience, and recruited him to pilot drones for weekly smuggling operations during the Covid-19 restrictions, reported The Straits Times.
These drone deliveries, occurring two or three times per week around April and May 2020, involved packages prepared in Malaysia by Helmie’s contacts. Shahrezza would fly the drones over the straits while maintaining communication with other members of the network.
Jun. 17, 2020 Drone Delivery
On the morning of Jun. 17, Hasri placed an order for 125g of meth, valued between S$4,000 and S$4,500, to be delivered via drone. That afternoon, Helmie, Hasri, and Shahrezza assembled at Kranji Reservoir Park. Shahrezza piloted a Mavic Air 2 drone to a beach in Pantai Lido, Johor, where Mohammad Nazri Bin Jumat was waiting. The meth, weighing about 269g, was attached to the drone and flown back to Singapore.
Singapore Police Force (SPF) officers detected the drone around 5:50pm. Hasri, acting as lookout, warned Helmie, who attempted to discard the package into nearby bushes before police arrived. Shahrezza recovered the drone from a rubbish bin, and the authorities later recovered the drugs, confirming their contents as methamphetamine.
Helmie claimed he was unaware that the drone would carry drugs, asserting that his original order was meant to arrive by boat through the usual channels. Nevertheless, the court found him guilty, and he now faces a total of 24 charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act, as well as separate charges for other offences, including possession of duty-unpaid cigarettes in 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for Sep. 17.
The case highlights the innovative but illegal use of technology in drug trafficking and underscores ongoing vigilance by Singapore authorities to prevent cross-border narcotics smuggling.