12-year-old girl arrested for suspected drug abuse, man arrested for permitting her to consume drugs
A 12-year-old Singaporean girl was arrested for suspected drug abuse last week, after a 30-year-old man allegedly allowed her to consume drugs.
The man was among 78 suspected drug offenders nabbed in an islandwide anti-drug operation from Monday to Friday (18 to 22 May), said the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in a statement on Friday.
Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook. Photo for illustration purposes only.
CNB force entry into North Bridge Road unit with 2 occupants
The girl was arrested the week before the operation, SPF said.
After her arrest, CNB officers conducted follow-up investigations and raided a residential unit in the vicinity of North Bridge Road on Monday (18 May) morning.
Source: Google Maps
In the unit were a 16-year-old girl and 30-year-old man, both Singaporeans, who refused to open the door despite the lawful orders of the officers.
CNB thus had to force their way into the unit.
Man arrested after allegedly permitting girl to consume drugs
After searching the unit, drug paraphernalia was seized, CNB said.
The man had allowed the 12-year-old girl to consume drugs, according to preliminary investigations.
He was subsequently arrested for the offence of permitting a young person to consume drugs.
The 16-year-old girl was also arrested for suspected drug abuse — the youngest to be nabbed in the five-day operation.
Source: Central Narcotics Bureau
Suspected drug trafficker arrested in Ang Mo Kio
On the same day, CNB arrested a 57-year-old Singaporean man at a void deck in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 for suspected drug trafficking offences.
They searched his residential unit in the vicinity and seized about:
- 1,785g of heroin
- 454g of cannabis
- 228g of ‘Ice’
- 29g of ‘Ecstasy’
- 1,190 Erimin-5 tablets
- Cash amounting to S$5,109.60
Source: Central Narcotics Bureau
2 more suspects arrested in Punggol
CNB conducted follow-up investigations and raided a residential unit in the vicinity of Punggol Place later that day.
Its occupants, a Singaporean man and woman aged 44 and 43 respectively, refused to open the door despite lawful orders.
Forced entry had to be carried out, after which the woman was arrested for suspected drug trafficking offences, while the man was arrested for suspected drug abuse.
After a search, 59g of ‘Ice’ and five ‘Ecstasy’ tablets were seized from the unit.
More than S$200K worth of drugs seized
In all, the five-day anti-drug operation covered areas including Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bukit Batok, Jurong West, North Bridge Road, Punggol and Tampines, CNB said.
Among the haul were about:
- 1,949g of heroin
- 469g of cannabis
- 351g of ‘Ice’
- 30g of ‘Ecstasy’
- 1,190 Erimin-5 tablets
- two bottles of liquid GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate)
- Cash amounting to S$5,637.60
The drugs that were seized are worth an estimated more than S$200,000, while the heroin, ‘Ice’ and cannabis could potentially feed the addiction of 1,196 abusers for a week.
Case of 12-year-old girl ‘particularly troubling’
Commanding Officer of Enforcement for CNB’s ‘A’ and ‘E’ Division Eugene Tan flagged the case of the 12-year-old girl as “particularly troubling”.
That’s because it involved a “young and vulnerable child being exposed to drugs”, he said, adding:
Drug abuse not only destroys lives but also places youths at risk and causes lasting harm to families and the wider community.
Superintendent Tan urged parents, guardians and the community to engage youths early on the harms of drugs as early intervention and continued vigilance are important to protect Singapore’s young people from drugs.
Death penalty possible for trafficking over 15kg of heroin
Investigations into the drug activities of all arrested suspects are ongoing, CNB said.
According to CNB, trafficking a controlled drug, offering to do so, or any act or offer in preparation for or for the purpose of trafficking, is an offence under Section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 (MDA).
This applies whether the offender acts on their own behalf or on behalf of someone else, even if that other person is overseas.
Additionally, those convicted of trafficking more than 15kg of “pure heroin” may face the mandatory death penalty.
Under the MDA, any person aged 21 years and above who exposes controlled drugs or drug paraphernalia to a child is liable to be prosecuted.
Adults who permit or fail to take reasonable steps to prevent a young person from consuming controlled drugs shall also be liable for prosecution.
Also read: 34-year-old S’porean mother arrested after drugs found in her children’s bedroom in Punggol
34-year-old S’porean mother arrested after drugs found in her children’s bedroom in Punggol
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Featured image adapted from Central Narcotics Bureau.
