There’s been a lot of drug cases popping up in the news recently, from the 162 suspected drug abusers which included a 14-year-old girl to the group of men who were caught hiding drugs in a papaya.
While these cases have multiple people involved, this time we have someone who flew solo.
Pleaded guilty
Donovan Liew Wee Kiat, 24, was sentenced to five years’ jail and five strokes of the cane on Tuesday (30 Sept) for selling almost 5g of weed aka cannabis to another man.
By the way, that’s lighter than a Singapore 50-cent coin.
Today reported that he pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in a Class A controlled drug. District Judge Ronald Gwee imposed the mandatory minimum punishment for the offence, an outcome that the prosecution had requested.
Liew was studying at the Singapore Institute of Management Global Education at the time of his arrest in October last year.
Court documents did not reveal if he is still a student there or what he studied.
Outed by his buyer
Usually, in TV shows, you don’t exactly confess or give out your dealer’s name unless you turn into a snitch or become the police’s informant.
But this is real life.
So when Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers arrested Muhammad Yusoff Sallim, 36, in July last year on suspicion of possessing and taking illegal drugs, he admitted to buying the cannabis from someone he knew as “Don”.
Yusoff has since been admitted to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre.
According to CNA, Liew admitted selling a packet of drugs for $380 to Yusoff at a car park near Block 3, Dover Crescent on 11 July last year.
He also said he had sold cannabis to Yusoff multiple times before this incident.
Liew was then arrested on 7 Oct last year for trafficking and consuming a controlled drug, as well as possessing drug utensils.
He was charged only with the trafficking offence.
Apparently, Liew could have gotten a heavier sentence of 20 years’ jail and 15 strokes of the cane.
The term he received was the mandatory minimum for the charge.
Singapore’s Strict Drug Laws
We all know that Singapore can be pretty strict when it comes to certain things but I think most of us have to agree that you really cannot play play when it comes to anything to do with drugs here.
According to the CNB website, anyone found to be in possession or consumption of cannabis can face up to 10 years’ imprisonment or $20,000 fine or both.
However, if you’re caught illegally trafficking, importing or exporting cannabis, the offender may face the death penalty depending on the amount.
Which is the case of cannabis is 15g, according to section 17 of the Misuse of Drug Act (MDA).
If you’re probably thinking, “Aiya, then go overseas take drugs lah! Problem solved.”
Buddy, we have some bad news for you.
The MDA also applies to outside of Singapore. So no, you can’t take a hit in Amsterdam or Las Vegas.
According to Singapore Legal Advice, under section 8A of the MDA, a Singapore citizen or permanent resident who consumes drugs abroad will be dealt with as if that offence had been committed within Singapore and punished accordingly.
Random checks are conducted at Singapore’s entry points (such as Changi Airport and Woodlands Checkpoint) to test if travellers have consumed drugs before entering Singapore.
So, unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to get high anywhere in the world unless you’re ready to face the consequences.
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