CNB Carries Out Raid on Yishun Motorcycle Shop, Seizes Drugs

While police raids happen from time to time in Singapore, they’re rarely caught on camera in the process.

For example, in 2021, 183 people were investigated following a raid on several illegal nightspots.

However, CCTV footage of a raid carried out by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and the police made its way online recently.

CNB Carries Out Drug Raid on Motorcycle Shop

The raid, taking place at Yishun Industrial Street 1, occurred back on 12 July at 1:11 am.

CCTV footage on Facebook showed a motorcycle shop operating as per usual, with two women eating a meal on a table outside the shop.

Suddenly, a large black truck, a white car and two motorcycles drove into frame and stopped outside.

Some may expect blue-uniformed police officers to alight and quickly but professionally enter the shop.

Instead, a swarm of officers in thick helmets, masks, and bulletproof vests marked with “Police” charged into the shop.

Guns brandished and at the ready, they yelled “Get down!” and “Police!” over and over at the top of their lungs.

An officer with a K9 Unit also rushed into the scene, the dog barking fiercely.

Two men standing with the motorcycles were startled by the sudden loud intrusion, but quickly obeyed and squatted to the ground. The CNB officers appeared to handcuff them.

A man on a red scooter who had literally just pulled up to the shop was also caught up in the raid in an incredible stroke of bad luck.

The two eating women meanwhile appeared thrown for a loop by this sight. One stood up, confused, before the officers sternly ordered her to sit back down. They were then moved to a closer location where the officers kept an eye on them.

As the video progressed, more vehicles carrying CNB officers arrived to investigate.

Drugs Allegedly Belonged to Customer Who Rented Room in Shop

On the morning of 2 August, a Shin Min Daily News reporter went to the scene, finding the motorcycle shop closed as it operated only at night.

An employee of a nearby shop said that when he arrived for work at 5 am on the day of the raid, he saw at least 40 plainclothes officers still there, collecting evidence and taking photos.

The drug raid operation allegedly lasted until 11 am that morning.

The next day, the employee met the motorcycle shop boss, who said he had no idea what had happened. Since then, the shop has operated as per usual.

A supervisor at the raided motorcycle shop explained to Lianhe Zaobao that in October 2023, a customer had rented out a room in the shop, and the drugs seized in the operation belonged to him.

The supervisor also claimed that in the months since then, he hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary with the rentee and did not expect such an incident.

In fact, on the day of the raid, the supervisor returned to his shop from the gas station only to find it swarming with police officers. They took him to the police station to assist with the investigation.

Heroin & Ice Seized in Drug Raid

The CNB and Singapore Police Force replied to Lianhe Zaobao, confirming the CNB raid on 12 July.

They said that officers seized 975 grams of heroin, 40 grams of methamphetamine or ice, and 30 grams of controlled substances in the form of pills. They estimated the drugs to be worth S$107,400.

They also stated that a 43-year-old Singaporean man was arrested in the raid and charged with drug trafficking on 13 July.