On Thursday, 11 December 2014 at about 12.30am, a male Bangladesh national was stopped by officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for routine checks upon arrival at Changi Airport Terminal 1.

2          During the course of inspection, the vigilant ICA officers searched his luggage and found tablets hidden in it. A total of 3,520 pieces of Nitrazepam or sleeping pills were retrieved from the cardboard box.

3          The exhibits and the 34-year-old male Bangladesh national were referred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for further investigations. 

  

4          HSA reminds the public that it is an offence for anyone found importing or selling substances listed in the Poisons Act without the necessary licenses from the Authority. Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Poisons Act is liable on conviction, to a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment for a term of up to two years. 

5          Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The security checks are critical to our nation’s security. ICA will continue to conduct our security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore.

 

 

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY

12 December 2014

                                                3,520 pills retrieved