S'porean accused of drug trafficking to be released

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Singaporean deported from Thailand and handed drug trafficking charges, but will be released

In a surprising development, authorities will release a Singaporean man who was facing the death penalty for drug trafficking charges.

This decision came after the prosecution applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

Source: Central Narcotics Bureau

Singaporean could have been sentenced to death

Benny Kee Soon Chuan, 32, had been charged with conspiring to traffic in a Class A controlled drug.

The charge could have seen him sentenced to death.

However, in court on Monday (8 Sept), the prosecution applied for him to be given a discharge not amounting to acquittal.

That means he may still be handed the same charge in future if new evidence is available.

Singaporean likely to be released on 8 Sept

The withdrawal of the charge means Kee is likely to be released that same day, his lawyer Ramesh Tiwary told CNA.

When asked about the withdrawal of the charge, Mr Tiwary said his client was innocent.

He is “very grateful to be reunited with his family”, the lawyer added.

Singaporean suspected of involvement in two drug trafficking cases

Kee was suspected of being involved in two drug trafficking cases in December 2020 and November 2022, said the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on 19 Sept 2024.

An arrest warrant was issued against him as he was suspected of supplying drugs to associates in Singapore for their subsequent trafficking and sale in Singapore.

However, as he had been out of Singapore since 11 April 2016, CNB reached out to its foreign counterparts for assistance.

Singaporean arrested in Thailand and deported

Kee was subsequently arrested in Thailand on 17 Sept 2024, with CNB officers reportedly travelling to Thailand to aid in the investigation.

According to the Bangkok Post, the Thai authorities seized assets worth approximately 15 million baht (S$584,000) during the operation.

Source: Khaosod English

A Thai counter-narcotics team traced him to a lavish residence in the Bang Phli District just south of Bangkok.

The team found luxury watches and gold jewellery in a safe, reported Khaosod English.

Source: Khaosod English

They also discovered that he had no legitimate job but was living an unusually affluent lifestyle.

Thai authorities deported him to Singapore and handed him over to CNB on 19 Sept 2024.

Kee allegedly had two co-conspirators, Singaporeans aged 21 and 29 at the time of their arrests.

They were charged separately with trafficking in substantial amounts of methamphetamine.

Authorities sentenced the 21-year-old to 22 years and six months in prison with 15 strokes of the cane, and the 29-year-old to eight years in prison and seven strokes of the cane.

Also read: S’porean drug dealer arrested in Thailand faces likely death penalty back home