In Singapore, nearly US$91,000 of narcotics found hidden inside papaya fruits

The haul included heroin, ketamine, benzodiazepine and enough methamphetamine to keep 215 addicts going for a week, officers said

Three Malaysians and five Singaporeans, aged between 18 and 50, were arrested in the operation carried out on Thursday

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Anti-narcotics officers intercepted a vehicle that contained bundles of drugs stuffed inside papayas. Photo: Photo: Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau / Handout

Published: 7:52pm, 18 Sep 2020Updated: 7:51pm, 18 Sep 2020

Eight men suspected of trafficking drugs inside papaya fruits have been arrested by Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau.

The suspects, aged between 18 and 50, were arrested on Thursday at locations including River Valley Road, Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre, Clementi and Bukit Purmei, the bureau said in a statement.

Five are Singaporeans and the others are Malaysians. The estimated street value of the drugs seized was about S$124,000 (US$91,383).

During the raids, officers found 375g of Ice, also known as methamphetamine – enough to feed the habits of 215 drug users for a week, according to the bureau – as well as about 37g of heroin, 135g of ketamine and one benzodiazepine tablet.

Bundles of drugs were recovered by officers from inside hollowed-out papaya fruits. Photo: Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau / Handout

The first arrests were of two Singaporean men aged 29 and 48 intercepted near River Valley Road on Thursday evening. Officers found papaya fruits stuffed with three bundles of methamphetamine and two bundles of ketamine upon searching their car.

“About 42g of Ice, about 37g of heroin, about 14g of ketamine and one Erimin-5 (benzodiazepine) tablet were also recovered from the vehicle,” the bureau said in its statement.