Suspected Singaporean drug trafficker who left country in 2018 arrested in Malaysia; to be charged on April 17

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean suspected of drug trafficking who had left the country five years ago was arrested on Sunday (April 16) with the help of Malaysian authorities.

In a press statement, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said that the 56-year-old man will be charged on Monday with drug trafficking. If convicted, he may face the death penalty.

An arrest warrant for the man was issued for his suspected involvement in supplying drugs to associates in Singapore for their subsequent trafficking and sale here, said the bureau. 

The unnamed man’s suspected involvement was uncovered during CNB’s investigation into a drug trafficking case in October 2020.

The accused in that case, who was 26 when arrested, was charged with trafficking in 253g of methamphetamine. The case is currently before the courts, said CNB.

Immigration records showed that the 56-year-old man had been out of Singapore since Nov 19, 2018.

He was arrested by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysian Police on March 31 and handed over to CNB on April 16.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Leon Chan, deputy director of CNB for operations, said that drug trafficking and abuse “is a transnational problem that requires the close cooperation of the international law enforcement community”. 

“Drug traffickers thinking to evade Singaporean law enforcement by hiding overseas will find that there is no safe haven,” he said, adding that CNB and its Malaysian counterpart enjoy a close working relationship.

“We thank our Malaysian counterparts for the cooperation to bring the suspect back to Singapore to face the law.”