SINGAPORE: A regional drug syndicate based in Malaysia has been dismantled, after joint investigations by the Malaysian police’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) and Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).
Six suspects – four Malaysians and two Singaporeans – were arrested in Klang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru on May 6.
In a news release on Thursday (May 11), CNB said its investigations started in late 2016 when it received intelligence pointing to the involvement of two Singaporean men with a Malaysia-based drug syndicate, which was supplying “sizeable amounts of drugs to a neighbouring country.”
It did not name the neighbouring country, but said it managed to identify the two Singaporeans who are believed to have coordinated drug supply runs for the syndicate.
CNB added that the information it got was shared with NCID, which helped the Malaysian authorities track down the Singaporeans, their Malaysian associates, and the drug storehouses located in Klang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.
Four of the syndicate’s Malaysian members were arrested in Klang and Kuala Lumpur during the May 6 operation.
Authorities also seized about 64kg of Ice, 61.5kg of ketamine and 23,985 Ecstasy tablets.
Drugs seized from the operation. (Photo: NCID)
The two Singaporean suspects, aged 43 and 58, were arrested by NCID on the same day in Johor Bahru. The older suspect was found to be in possession of 11g of Ice, 68 Erimin-5 tablets and a small amount of ketamine, according to CNB.
Investigations by NCID are ongoing. If convicted of drug trafficking, both Singaporeans may face the death penalty.
CNB director Ng Ser Song thanked his NCID counterpart Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff and his Malaysian officers for their strong support and cooperation over the years.
“The fight against drugs must be fought with close cooperation between counterparts. No drug enforcement agency can afford to do it alone, especially against drug trafficking syndicates which operate near seamlessly between different countries,” Mr Ng said. “Together, we can take the fight to the drug syndicates.”
