SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man needed for drug trafficking within the nation has been arrested in South Korea the place he was concerned in a multinational syndicate promoting narcotics on Telegram.
Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) mentioned on Thursday (Dec 14) that the 37-year-old man was arrested in Seoul on Apr 9 and has been sentenced to jail.
He shall be repatriated to Singapore after finishing his jail sentence in South Korea, mentioned CNB, including that it’ll conduct additional investigations into the person’s suspected drug offences right here.
“The 37-year-old man is suspected to be involved in coordinating and supplying drugs to associates in Singapore for their subsequent trafficking and sale in Singapore using encrypted chat applications,” mentioned CNB in a information launch.
According to South Korean media, citing a media launch by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Thursday, the 37-year-old man led a global drug community primarily based in Seoul that distributed medication to Singapore and Vietnam through Telegram.
The Chosun Ilbo reported that the person promoted medication via the chat platform and conspired with associates in Singapore to change the medication into different types comparable to sweet or jellies.
South Korean media mentioned that is the primary time that native authorities have uncovered a overseas community primarily based within the nation promoting medication abroad utilizing Telegram.
Three of the person’s associates – two Singaporean girls and one other lady of overseas nationality – had been additionally arrested in South Korea, mentioned CNB.
It added that immigration data confirmed that the person had left Singapore since Nov 12, 2021.
CNB mentioned it contacted South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) for joint investigations into the person’s actions after receiving intelligence that he had arrange a base in South Korea.
He was ultimately caught as a part of South Korea’s crackdown on cyber drug crimes, mentioned native media.
CNA has requested the Singapore company concerning the size of the person’s jail time period and its investigations in opposition to the 2 Singaporean girls.
“Drug trafficking is a cross-border issue that affects many countries, and traffickers increasingly use encrypted chat applications to advertise the sale of drugs to new clients and to arrange for the delivery of the drugs,” mentioned Deputy Director of CNB for Operations, SAC Leon Chan.
“The successful arrest in this case is a testament to the good relationship and close cooperation between CNB, NIS and SMPA in tackling the transnational nature of drug trafficking. For drug syndicate leaders and members who choose to feed their greed by bringing harm to our people in Singapore, CNB will spare no efforts to bring them to face justice in Singapore.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/man-arrested-south-korea-drug-trafficking-network-3988786
