Officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested a 32-year-old Singaporean man for suspected drug trafficking offences in an operation conducted in the afternoon of 21 February 2023. A total of about 2,123g of cannabis, 967g of heroin, 131g of ‘Ice’, 123g of ketamine, 263g of ‘Ecstasy’ tablets, and 1,325g of powdery substances believed to contain controlled drugs, with an estimated street value of $182,000, were seized during the operation. The seizure of 2,123g of cannabis can feed the addiction of about 300 users for a week, while the seizure of 967g of heroin can feed the addiction of about 460 users for a week.

2.           The man was stopped in his vehicle in the vicinity of Bukit Timah Road and placed under arrest. CNB officers escorted the man to his residence in the vicinity of Punggol Field, where the drugs were found and seized.

Photo 1 (CNB): CNB officers arrested a 32-year-old Singaporean man from a luxury sedan parked in the vicinity of Bukit Timah Road in a CNB operation conducted on 21 February 2023.

Photos 2 and 3 (CNB): Some of the controlled drugs, including cannabis, heroin, ‘Ice’ and ‘Ecstasy’ tablets seized from a residential unit in the vicinity of Punggol Field in a CNB operation conducted on 21 February 2023.

3.       SUPT William Tan, Senior Assistant Director of Intelligence Operations, said:

“Despite knowing the harms of drugs, drug traffickers continue to peddle drugs and profit at the expense of people’s lives and livelihoods. To prevent and disrupt the circulation of drugs in our society, CNB has in place a comprehensive harm prevention approach including tough laws and robust enforcement to send a strong signal of deterrence against illicit drug activities.”

4.        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 pure heroin (diamorphine) or 500g of cannabis, he or she may face the mandatory death penalty.

5.       Investigations into the drug activities of the arrested suspect are ongoing.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

23 February 2023

41-year-old Mohamed Mahadisyah Mohamed Rasid was sentenced on 22 February to 6 weeks imprisonment, fined $13,600 and banned from driving for 4 years after his prison release.

If he cannot pay the fine, he will serve another 47 days in prison.

He was previously jailed for 23 weeks and banned from driving in 2015 for an accident that killed 2 foreign workers and is now back in jail for dangerous driving in 2021.

What happened?

Mahadisyah was driving a car along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) on 2 September 2021 at about 10.30pm, and other motorists say that he was driving in a “swaying manner”.

His actions resulted in a near collision with a lorry, and he was also braking intermittently and causing the other vehicles to slow down because of his actions.

The police were alerted and when officers arrived at the scene, they noticed that Mahadisyah was reeking of alcohol.

A breathalyser test was then conducted and he was found to have 101 micrograms of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit being 35 micrograms of alcohol for every 100 millilitres of breath.

Previous conviction

He was previously convicted for an accident that happened on 12 January 2013, along New Upper Changi Road.

He was feeling sleepy while driving his van and crashed into a stationary lorry and three workers who were unloading equipment.

One of the victims was flung into the lorry’s rear compartment and another victim was crushed between the lorry and Mahadisyah’s van.

The sole survivor of the accident escaped death with a broken hip.

Mahadisyah then fled the scene of the accident, before being arrested at a hotel in Geylang the following day.

19-year-old Naydhan Subhash, who assaulted his mother back in October last year and threatened to remove her intestines, was sentenced to at least 6 months of informative training on 23 February.

The youth, who is currently in remand, will be detained in a reformation centre where he will be made to follow a strict regimen that included counselling and foot drills.

He pleaded guilty back in December 2022 to charges including harassment and assault.

What happened?

Naydhan was with his mother at their home in Sengkang on 24 October 2022 at about 5pm when he threw a tissue box at her, hitting her on the shoulder.

He then used a “needle-shaped prayer object” to poke his mother’s body.

She then applied for an expedited order against him, to refrain from using violence against her, and it was issued on 24 October 2022 by a district judge.

In the last week of October, Naydhan then got into an argument with his mother and threatened to kill her.

He then got into another dispute with her on 9 November 2022, and also threatened to take out the victim’s intestines.

The police were alerted on the same evening and Naydhan was subsequently charged in court; he appeared in court via video link earlier today and chose to say nothing during his mitigation plea.

MAN ARRESTED FOR CHEATING

The Police have arrested a 37-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of cheating cases related to social media impersonation scams.

On 28 January 2023, the Police received a report from a victim who had purportedly been cheated by an online acquaintance made over a social media platform. The scammer allegedly used a display picture of another acquaintance known to the victim, in order to borrow $190 from the victim.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 20 February 2023. Preliminary investigations revealed that he is believed to be involved in three other similar cases of scam island-wide. Police investigations against the man are ongoing.

The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions when engaging online services:

1. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Only engage service providers from reputable sources.
2. Whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the service providers.
3. Scammers may entice buyers to make deposits before the services are provided, and they may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC/driver’s licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. Anyone with information related to such scams may call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
21 February 2023 @ 9:40 PM

Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Gerald Giam asked during the parliament sitting on 22 February about raising the allowances of full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) in view of inflation and rise of living costs.

The Senior Minister of State for Defence, Heng Chee How, responded by saying that full-time NSFs receive an allowance for their basic personal upkeep.

He added that the allowance takes into account that NSFs’ food, lodging, clothing, and medical care are provided, given that most of them stay in camp.

Heng also further added that allowances are regularly reviewed and adjusted by Mindef, and highlighted how three adjustments have been made love the last 10 years and that the latest adjustment was in March 2020.

Giam then followed up and highlighted to Heng that the last review was in March 2020, and cited how the cost of basic upkeep has increased significantly due to high inflation from mid-2021.

He asked if NSF allowances could be pegged to the increase in Consumer Price Index or the MAS core inflation measure to minimise the lag time between the increases in living costs and adjustment to NS allowances.

Giam also asked when is the next review and if it could be brought forward due to the situation.

Heng then responded by saying that when the allowances are calibrated, the overall price levels in the country are taken into account.

He added that it is not the general cost of living that applies to the upkeep of the NSF because the items that impact overall living costs like lodging, food, clothing and medical care are taken care of and paid for by the SAF and Home Team.