A 37-year-old Malaysian man was arrested at Singapore’s Tuas Checkpoint after he allegedly attempted to smuggle a bottle of ketum juice into the country.
Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said the incident took place on October 14 when the man, who rode in on a motorcycle, was stopped for further checks.
Said he had ‘nothing to declare’
During the screening, officers asked the rider whether he had any items to declare.
ICA said the man confidently answered “no”.
However, a thorough inspection of his belongings revealed a bottle of liquid suspected to be ketum juice hidden inside his bag, reported NST.
Case handed to narcotics bureau
The man was immediately detained and the case was referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) for further investigation.
In its statement, ICA said it remains committed to its role as Singapore’s “border guardian”, working to protect the nation’s safety and security while ensuring smooth travel and trade at all checkpoints.
Ketum is a Class A drug in Singapore
Under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act, ketum-related substances containing mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are listed as Class A controlled drugs.
Anyone convicted of importing such substances faces a minimum penalty of five years’ jail and five strokes of the cane.
