Drug-related arrests at Singapore checkpoints up 53% in 2025: ICA, CNB
Drug-related arrests at Singapore's checkpoints rose by about 53 per cent in 2025, with 975 arrests made for offences including drug importation, possession and consumption, up from 2024. In a joint statement on Tuesday (Sept 29), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said the increase reflects both the persistent drug threat at Singapore's borders and strengthened detection and enforcement efforts.In most cases involving drug concealment, the drugs were found hidden within personal belongings or vehicle compartments, they said. In 2025, the agencies conducted a total of 1,417 joint operations at the checkpoints, an increase of about 34 per cent from 2024.Among the notable cases in 2025 was the detection of drugs in a Malaysian-registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint on Dec 22.Based on information from ICA, its officers referred the vehicle, driven by a 39-year-old Malaysian man, for enhanced checks.