8kg of cocaine seized from foreign-registered commercial vessel in Singapore waters
Preliminary investigations by CNB revealed that the drugs were transiting through Singapore.
On August 5, authorities from Singapore's Police Coast Guard (PCG) and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) intercepted over 8 kilograms of cocaine on a foreign-registered commercial vessel in the country's waters. The seizure occurred on August 7 after they received a tip-off about suspicious packages on board a vessel anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage, situated south of the mainland between Pulau Senang and Pulau Semakau.
Upon boarding the vessel, PCG officers discovered eight packages that they suspected contained controlled substances during their search. These packages were hidden within the sea chest strainers, which are robust marine filtration systems, and were later confirmed to contain cocaine through testing. The CNB, which conducted preliminary investigations, found the drugs were en route to Singapore and were not intended for the local market.
According to Singapore law, importing or exporting more than 30 grams of cocaine can result in the mandatory death penalty. The seized cocaine, therefore, posed a significant threat to the country's law enforcement efforts and public safety.
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