5 teens, aged 14 to 16, arrested for suspected cannabis trafficking in Singapore
Five teenagers between the ages of 14 to 16 were nabbed by officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) for suspected drug trafficking operations, the CNB said in a media release on Thursday (27 Oct).
The CNB said its officers seized about 226g of cannabis, estimated to be worth close to $7,000, food products believed to be infused with cannabis, and drug utensils in two separate cases.
The teen suspects are students from local and international schools, the CNB said.
About the two cases
In the first case, officers from the Parcel Post Section at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had detected a parcel containing suspected drug paraphernalia, and had referred the case to the bureau for further investigations.
Two suspects, a boy and a girl, both aged 16, were arrested in a follow-up operation by CNB officers in the vicinity of Bukit Batok Street 21.
Various drug paraphernalia as well as 59g of cannabis were seized from the girl’s home.
Some of the cannabis was believed to have been mixed with tobacco and rolled into joints, the CNB said.
In the second case, a boy, 14, was accompanied by his father and surrendered about 115g of cannabis at a Neighbourhood Police Post.
He was escorted to his place of residence, where the authorities found 52g of cannabis as well as food products believed to be infused with cannabis.
Two more boys were arrested in the vicinity of Clementi Road and Serangoon Road in a follow-up operation by CNB officers.
The officers also recovered food products believed to be infused with cannabis from a residential block in the vicinity of Serangoon Road.
Parents urged to "partner" CNB to protect children from drugs
Investigations into the drug activities of all the suspects are ongoing, said the CNB, adding that "there is well-founded and strong research that has shown short-term and long-term adverse effects associated with cannabis use, including cognitive impairments to youth abusers’ developing brains".
"These findings corroborate with Singapore’s position that cannabis should remain an illicit drug," the CNB said.
CNB's director of enforcement division sector 2, Assistant Commissioner Lim Fung Suan, urged parents to "partner us to keep our young ones safe".
"By talking to them about the harms of drugs, and paying attention to their friends and activities, we believe that preventive education is key and CNB will continue to work closely with our partners in schools and the community," Lim said.
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