16-year-old girl caught among 112 people suspected of drug crimes in Singapore

SINGAPORE: A 16-year-old girl was among 112 suspected drug offenders caught in an islandwide anti-drug operation, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said on Monday (Oct 28).

The raids, carried out between October 14 and 25 in areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Clementi, Eunos, Jurong and Tampines, saw the seizure of various drugs with an estimated street value of approximately S$296,000.

On October 14, CNB officers raided a residential unit around Bedok South Avenue 3 and arrested two Singaporeans from the unit – a 42-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man.

A total of approximately 1.7 kg of ice, 69 g of heroin and 17 g of marijuana were seized from the unit.

Two days later, officers raided two more residential properties in the same block around Eunos Crescent.

In the first raid, officers arrested a married Singaporean couple (a 37-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man).

Approximately 32 grams of Ice, 7 grams of heroin, 6 Erimin-5 tablets and some Ecstasy tablets were seized during the raid.

The couple’s children, ages 10 and 12, were also in the unit at the time of the raid. The children were then placed in the care of their relatives.

In the second raid, officers forced entry into the unit after the residents, a 25-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, refused to allow officers to enter the unit.

Both Singaporeans were arrested and a small amount of heroin was seized from the unit.

Official figures announced by the CNB on February 14 showed that the number of drug addicts arrested in 2023 increased by 10 percent to 3,101, compared to 2,826 people arrested in 2022.

944 of those arrested in 2023 were new drug addicts; This number increased by 18 percent compared to 802 in 2022.

More than half of the new abusers arrested were under the age of 30. Among them were five 14-year-olds, the youngest abusers arrested.

The number of female drug addicts has also increased; 454 people were arrested in 2023, compared to 408 in 2022.

Of the new abusers, 182 were women in 2023; In 2022, this number was 171.

Investigations into all detained suspects continue. – Straits Times/ANN