On 2 January 2017 at about 3.40am, a rider on a Malaysia-registered motorcycle was stopped by a checkpoint officer for checks upon arrival at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

2.        In the course of inspection, the checkpoint officer found a bag of heroin in the motorcycle. The lone rider, a 31-year-old Malaysian male, was arrested. The suspect, motorcycle and seized exhibit were referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) for further investigations. Another bag of heroin was found by CNB officers thereafter. The total haul of heroin was about 460g, estimated to be worth about S$32,000.


CNB Photo: Heroin seized at Woodlands Checkpoint on 2 January 2017.

3.        The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine (or pure heroin) trafficked exceeds 15g. 15g of diamorphine is equivalent to 1,250 straws1, which is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 180 abusers for a week.

4.        Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security, and security checks are critical to our nation’s security. The Home Team agencies will continue to conduct checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands.


IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

3 JANUARY 2017

1      This is estimated using a typical purity level of 4%, based on drug seizures in recent years. The number of straws that are actually made may vary according to the purity level of the heroin used in the straws.