71 Arrested in Island-Wide Anti-Drug Operation

               Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested 71 suspected drug offenders in an island-wide anti-drug operation from 19 to 24 November 2023. A total of about 881g of heroin, 193g of ‘Ice’, 137g of cannabis, one Erimin-5 tablet, and cash amounting to $22,580.15 were seized. The drugs have an estimated street value of about $157,000. The youngest arrested in this island-wide operation was an 18-year-old suspected male drug offender. 

2.         Some of the areas covered during this island-wide operation included Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Kallang and Punggol. 

24-year-old Singaporean arrested for suspected drug offences on 19 November 2023

3.         In the evening of 19 November, CNB officers launched an operation and arrested a 24-year-old Singaporean man in the vicinity of Pasir Ris Street 11 for suspected drug offences. During the course of operation, officers spotted the man climbing out of a window of a residential unit located on the second floor in a bid to evade arrest. The man was eventually arrested on the ground level and escorted to his residential unit where about 11g of ‘Ice’, various drug paraphernalia, a knuckle duster and a ‘Karambit’ knife were recovered.

Photo 1 (CNB): Knuckle duster and ‘Karambit’ knife seized from a residential unit in the vicinity of Pasir Ris Street 11 in a CNB operation conducted on 19 November 2023. 

Arrest of two Singaporeans for suspected drug trafficking offences on 20 November 2023

4.         In the morning of 20 November, CNB officers raided a residential unit in the vicinity of Redhill Close and arrested a 64-year-old Singaporean man for suspected drug trafficking offences therein. Forced entry was effected as the man had refused to heed the lawful orders of the officers to open the door. A search was conducted and about 81g of heroin, 13g of ‘Ice’ and cash amounting to $22,580.15 were seized. 

5.         In another operation conducted later in the afternoon, CNB officers arrested a 52-year-old Singaporean man in his hideout located in the vicinity of Champions Way for suspected drug trafficking offences. Forced entry was effected as the suspect had refused to comply with the lawful orders of the officers to open the door. About 679g of heroin and 95g of ‘Ice’ were seized from the hideout.

Photo 2 (CNB): Controlled drugs, including heroin, seized in the vicinity of Redhill Close in a CNB operation conducted on 20 November 2023. 

Photos 3 and 4 (CNB): $22,580.15 of cash seized in the vicinity of Redhill Close in a CNB operation conducted on 20 November 2023. 

Photo 5 (CNB): A suspected drug offender arrested by CNB officers in an island-wide drug operation from 19 to 24 November 2023.

6.         Under Section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, it is an offence for a person, on his or her own behalf, or on behalf of any other person, whether or not that other person is in Singapore, to traffic in a controlled drug, offer to traffic in a controlled drug; or to do or offer to do any act preparatory to or for the purpose of trafficking in a controlled drug. If a person is found guilty of trafficking more than 15g of diamorphine or “pure heroin”, he or she may face the mandatory death penalty.

7.         Investigations into all arrested suspects are ongoing. 

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
28 November 2023

In a recent incident at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a car caught fire at the entrance of the Botany Centre carpark, leading to its closure for public safety. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded promptly to the situation.

The incident, reported at approximately 2:15 pm on Nov 27, prompted the SCDF to deploy officers to address the vehicle fire near 1 Cluny Road. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the fire was successfully extinguished using a water jet and a compressed air foam jet.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, as authorities work to determine the circumstances that led to the vehicle catching fire.

Will be reopened once it is safe

Dr Tan Puay Yok, the group director of the gardens, assured the public that the entrance to the Botany Centre carpark would be reopened once it is deemed safe. In the meantime, vehicles currently parked there can still exit the premises without hindrance.

To minimize inconvenience for visitors, alternative parking arrangements have been made. Visitors to the gardens are being redirected to other carparks. For those planning to visit the Tanglin Core, parking is available at the Nassim Entrance carpark or the Raffles Building carpark.

Regular updates on the reopening status of the Botany Centre carpark can be found on the official Singapore Botanic Gardens website. Dr Tan Puay Yok encourages the public to stay informed through these updates for the latest information.

Conclusion

In summary, the swift response from the SCDF ensured the containment and extinguishing of the car fire, prioritizing public safety.

The ongoing investigation aims to shed light on the cause of the incident. While the Botany Centre carpark remains temporarily closed, efforts are in place to provide alternative parking options for visitors, with a commitment to reopening the carpark once safety is assured.

33-year-old Sakthivel Sivasurian, was sentenced on 27 November to 4 years imprisonment after being convicted earlier of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, according to The Straits Times.

He had punched another man, Manjunatha Louis Ravi, from behind and causing him to fall down and hit his head on the ground, and he was later found to have bleeding in his brain before he died.

Recap

A seemingly ordinary taxi ride took a tragic turn, resulting in the untimely demise of Mr. Manjunatha Louis Ravi. Following an argument with a fellow passenger, Sakthivel Sivasurian, this altercation led to a series of events that ultimately ended in a courtroom trial.

33-year-old Sakthivel was eventually convicted of voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

The Background

The incident in question occurred on the night of July 18, 2020, when Mr. Manjunatha, another woman, Sakthivel, and Sakthivel’s wife were traveling in a taxi to a HDB block in Gangsa Road.

A dispute between Mr. Manjunatha and Sakthivel escalated, culminating in a physical altercation after they exited the vehicle.

During this altercation, Mr. Manjunatha fell and hit his head on the ground, rendering him unable to rise on his own. An eyewitness promptly dialed 995, and Mr. Manjunatha was rushed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

The Medical Assessment

Upon examination, a scan revealed that Mr. Manjunatha had bleeding on the surface of his brain, brain swelling, and signs of brain damage.

His prognosis was grim, as determined after consultations with neurosurgeons. Mr. Manjunatha was placed in the intensive care unit, and his father flew to Singapore to be by his side on July 23, 2020.

Tragically, despite the medical efforts, he did not recover and passed away on the same day.

An autopsy on Mr. Manjunatha’s body revealed a small crack in the bone above his left eye and a displacement in his spine. These findings were significant in the legal proceedings that followed.

The Legal Battle

The subsequent court trial focused on one critical question: Did Sakthivel’s actions lead directly to Mr. Manjunatha’s death, or was it solely a result of the initial fall?

The defense argued that the fall itself was not fatal and that it was Sakthivel’s attempts to lift Mr. Manjunatha, ultimately dropping him, that exacerbated his injuries and caused his death.

District Judge James Elisha Lee carefully reviewed the evidence presented by both sides. He acknowledged the defense’s position that Mr. Manjunatha had been dropped twice during the efforts to lift him.

He also accepted the evidence indicating that Sakthivel had moved Mr. Manjunatha to a grassy area before the ambulance arrived.

Judge Lee recognized that there was reasonable doubt as to whether Mr. Manjunatha would have died from the initial fall alone had he not been dropped and manhandled.

However, he concluded that the circumstances leading to the dropping and manhandling were a direct result of the fall itself.

Had Mr. Manjunatha not sustained an injury from the fall and had he been able to get up on his own, these actions would not have occurred.

In the end, Judge Lee’s verdict held that while the fall and subsequent actions contributed to Mr. Manjunatha’s death, it was the fall that set the tragic chain of events in motion.

Additional Evidence

Sakthivel’s defense included the assertion that Mr. Manjunatha, after being hit, took several steps backward and fell on uneven ground.

To support this claim, Sakthivel submitted a Google Street View image from October 2019, suggesting that a hole was present at the site of the incident.

Judge Lee, however, found none of the eyewitnesses’ testimonies corroborating that Mr. Manjunatha lost his footing due to uneven ground.

Video footage clearly indicated a swift fall after being hit by Sakthivel. Judge Lee emphasized that even if the victim had fallen into a hole, it would still have been attributable to the hit by the accused.

The Verdict

Sakthivel was ultimately convicted of one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, which resulted in grievous harm. The relationship between Sakthivel and Mr. Manjunatha was not disclosed in court documents.

In a surprising turn of events, following the verdict, Sakthivel pleaded guilty to a separate charge of providing false information to a public servant while out on bail.

He was found to have violated his court-imposed bail curfew hours at a nightclub, where he falsely claimed to be at home at the time.