Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Drug Traffickers Arrested in Singapore from 2009 to 2015 by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Question:

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs from 2009 to 2015, what is the number of drug traffickers arrested in Singapore each year.

Answer:

1. We do not release data on the number of traffickers arrested in Singapore due to operational security reasons.

2. However, we can share that there was a dip in the number of drug traffickers arrested in 2010 and 2011, as compared to the preceding years. The numbers have gone up since 2011, but remained below the 2009 figure.

3. Several factors could have contributed to the increase in the number of traffickers arrested since 2011. These include a worsening regional drug situation, local demand for drugs such as methamphetamine and cannabis, and stepped up enforcement efforts by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).