MHA Statement in Response to Media Queries on the Case of Benny Kee Soon Chuan

1. On 22 September 2025, the Minister for Home Affairs issued a detention order (“DO”) under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (“CLTPA”) against Benny Kee Soon Chuan (“Kee”) in view of his involvement in drug trafficking activities in Singapore.

2. Kee’s involvement in drug trafficking activities in Singapore was uncovered during CNB's investigation into two separate drug trafficking cases in December 2020 and November 2022. The accused persons in those cases, two Singaporeans aged 21 and 29 at the time of arrest, were separately charged for trafficking in substantial amounts of methamphetamine. The 21-year-old was eventually convicted and sentenced to 22 years and six months' imprisonment with 15 strokes of the cane, while the 29-year-old was convicted and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with seven strokes of the cane.

3. An arrest warrant was issued against Kee for his suspected involvement in supplying drugs to the 21-year-old and 29-year-old, for their subsequent trafficking and sale in Singapore. As immigration records showed that Kee had been out of Singapore since 11 April 2016, CNB reached out to its foreign counterparts. Kee was subsequently arrested by the Thai authorities on 17 September 2024, deported back to Singapore and handed over to CNB on 19 September 2024. On 20 September 2024, Kee was charged in court for the offence of engaging in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine in Singapore. On 8 September 2025, Kee was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal. On the same day, Kee was arrested under the CLTPA.

4. Investigations revealed that from at least late-2020, Kee was involved in a drug trafficking syndicate in Thailand, and was instrumental in the supply and distribution of drugs in Singapore. He would receive orders via Telegram, collate these orders, and then arrange for the drugs to be exported to Singapore, where it would be received and distributed by his associates.

5. The Ministry of Home Affairs takes a zero-tolerance approach to drug trafficking in Singapore. Drug offences are typically prosecuted under the Misuse of Drugs Act, with CLTPA being invoked only as a last resort where prosecution is not viable, such as when witnesses are unwilling to testify in court for fear of reprisal against them or their family members, which is the situation in this case. We will not hesitate to take tough action to suppress such activities, and traffickers should not believe that they can get away just by being out of Singapore, or by intimidating witnesses.