SINGAPORE: Twelve male foreign nationals were arrested for suspected drug-related offences in an overnight raid lasting more than four hours at a migrant worker dormitory in northern Singapore.
Acting on information received, officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), together with other authorities, swept through the Woodlands compound from late Thursday (Nov 27) into the wee hours of Friday morning amid periods of heavy downpour.
The 11 Bangladeshis and one Myanmar national are between 23 and 40 years old. One of them, a 34-year-old Bangladeshi man, was arrested for suspected drug trafficking and drug consumption offences, the CNB said in a press release issued on Friday.
In a first, the media was allowed to accompany officers during a dormitory enforcement operation. Although led by CNB, the operation also involved the Singapore Police Force, Health Sciences Authority, Ministry of Manpower and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority as part of efforts to clamp down on illegal activities, including drug offences and other crimes.
Eight reporters followed scores of CNB officers - some in plain clothes, others in vests - as they searched rooms where migrant workers resided.
Past midnight, as heavy rain eased to a drizzle, the media were allowed into two rooms where suspects were arrested after the scenes were secured.
In the first room, located on the second floor of a block, five handcuffed men were being held on suspicion of drug-related offences. A few sat in a row on the floor with their belongings - mobile phones, wallets and identity cards - placed in sealed bags before them.
The room contained six bunk beds arranged along three walls. The bunks, which appeared to hold clutter rather than mattresses, were separated by metal lockers draped with hangers and clothing, with luggage bags stacked on top.
Men in a Woodlands migrant worker dormitory handcuffed over suspected drug offences, on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Suspects arrested during a drug raid at a Woodlands migrant worker dormitory seated on the floor with their belongings in sealed bags before them on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A mobile phone, card and wallet belonging to a suspect arrested during a drug raid placed in a sealable bag. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
With the media present, a few suspects were instructed to point out their lockers or beds, where gloved officers conducted thorough searches of their belongings.
One officer sifted through piles of clothing and various paraphernalia stored on several levels of a locker, assisted by another officer who shone a light into the compartment. The suspect watched and responded to questions about the items and where he slept.
Another officer then lowered a black suitcase from the top of the locker to the floor, where he and a colleague examined its compartments and patted down its lining. They did not appear to find anything of note.
Officers also searched the clutter on the beds as suspects looked on. Some items were added to sealable bags, which were then labelled.
Meanwhile, the room’s seven other occupants sat quietly in two rows near the door as they waited for the operation to conclude.
A Central Narcotics Bureau officer searching a suspect's belongings in a locker within a migrant worker dormitory room as part of a raid that began on the night of Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A Central Narcotics Bureau officer sifting through papers in a suspect's luggage bag during a raid at a migrant worker dormitory that started on the night of Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Within 10 minutes, the suspects were asked to stand and escorted out of the rooms.
When the media entered the second room, which was on the ground floor of a separate block, one man was seated on the floor in the corner of the room surrounded by CNB officers. This room was of a similar configuration to the first, with clothing hung on all walls.
He answered the officers’ questions while the other residents sat in a loose scatter around the room, calmly watching the proceedings.
The man was handcuffed shortly afterward.
Officers were seen placing yellow- and red-coloured items suspected to have been used for drug consumption - including a glass bottle, a cut straw and a rubber tube with a mouthpiece - into sealable bags.
A glass bottle, cut straw and a rubber tube with a mouthpiece were seized from this room in a migrant worker dormitory during a raid which began late at night on Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Central Narcotics Bureau officers going through a luggage bag in a migrant worker dormitory room as part of a raid which began on the night of Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A suspect in handcuffs being led away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Central Narcotics Bureau officers conducting a search in a room at a migrant worker dormitory in Woodlands as part of a raid that began late at night on Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Similar to the first room, officers went through luggage containing clothes, shoes and smaller bags, while others examined the cash, bills and cards in the suspect’s wallet before placing them, along with his mobile phone, into a sealable bag.
These items were then placed in a larger bag with the other exhibits.
Once the officers were done searching the bags, they returned all the contents and set them aside.
The entire drill took about 10 minutes, after which the suspect was helped to his feet and led out of the room.
A handcuffed suspect being escorted away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A handcuffed suspect being escorted away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A handcuffed suspect being led away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Central Narcotics Bureau officers escorted suspects from a drug raid at a migrant worker dormitory into a van as part of enforcement operations that concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
The suspects were then taken to another area in the dormitory for processing before being transported away in vans. The media observed four suspects, each escorted by an officer, being handed into two separate vans that subsequently left the compound.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the operation, Superintendent Xanthus Tong Hyeng Ji, Deputy Commanding Officer of CNB Enforcement J Division, said CNB remains committed to upholding drug laws and safeguarding the community, including migrant workers.
"This operation is part of our law enforcement efforts against drug abuse and trafficking and other criminal and illicit activities. Such activities will not be tolerated and those involved will be dealt with accordingly," Mr Tong said.
"Drugs have no place in Singapore – be it in the community, workplace, or residential premises – our enforcement efforts are geared towards early detection and intervention. Early detection allows any risks – whether in the form of drug abuse or illicit activities – to be addressed quickly and prevent the spread, given the harmful and addictive nature of drugs."
Investigations for all arrested suspects are ongoing, CNB said.
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Acting on information received, officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), together with other authorities, swept through the Woodlands compound from late Thursday (Nov 27) into the wee hours of Friday morning amid periods of heavy downpour.
The 11 Bangladeshis and one Myanmar national are between 23 and 40 years old. One of them, a 34-year-old Bangladeshi man, was arrested for suspected drug trafficking and drug consumption offences, the CNB said in a press release issued on Friday.
In a first, the media was allowed to accompany officers during a dormitory enforcement operation. Although led by CNB, the operation also involved the Singapore Police Force, Health Sciences Authority, Ministry of Manpower and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority as part of efforts to clamp down on illegal activities, including drug offences and other crimes.
Eight reporters followed scores of CNB officers - some in plain clothes, others in vests - as they searched rooms where migrant workers resided.
Past midnight, as heavy rain eased to a drizzle, the media were allowed into two rooms where suspects were arrested after the scenes were secured.
In the first room, located on the second floor of a block, five handcuffed men were being held on suspicion of drug-related offences. A few sat in a row on the floor with their belongings - mobile phones, wallets and identity cards - placed in sealed bags before them.
The room contained six bunk beds arranged along three walls. The bunks, which appeared to hold clutter rather than mattresses, were separated by metal lockers draped with hangers and clothing, with luggage bags stacked on top.
Men in a Woodlands migrant worker dormitory handcuffed over suspected drug offences, on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Suspects arrested during a drug raid at a Woodlands migrant worker dormitory seated on the floor with their belongings in sealed bags before them on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A mobile phone, card and wallet belonging to a suspect arrested during a drug raid placed in a sealable bag. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
With the media present, a few suspects were instructed to point out their lockers or beds, where gloved officers conducted thorough searches of their belongings.
One officer sifted through piles of clothing and various paraphernalia stored on several levels of a locker, assisted by another officer who shone a light into the compartment. The suspect watched and responded to questions about the items and where he slept.
Another officer then lowered a black suitcase from the top of the locker to the floor, where he and a colleague examined its compartments and patted down its lining. They did not appear to find anything of note.
Officers also searched the clutter on the beds as suspects looked on. Some items were added to sealable bags, which were then labelled.
Meanwhile, the room’s seven other occupants sat quietly in two rows near the door as they waited for the operation to conclude.
A Central Narcotics Bureau officer searching a suspect's belongings in a locker within a migrant worker dormitory room as part of a raid that began on the night of Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A Central Narcotics Bureau officer sifting through papers in a suspect's luggage bag during a raid at a migrant worker dormitory that started on the night of Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Within 10 minutes, the suspects were asked to stand and escorted out of the rooms.
When the media entered the second room, which was on the ground floor of a separate block, one man was seated on the floor in the corner of the room surrounded by CNB officers. This room was of a similar configuration to the first, with clothing hung on all walls.
He answered the officers’ questions while the other residents sat in a loose scatter around the room, calmly watching the proceedings.
The man was handcuffed shortly afterward.
Officers were seen placing yellow- and red-coloured items suspected to have been used for drug consumption - including a glass bottle, a cut straw and a rubber tube with a mouthpiece - into sealable bags.
A glass bottle, cut straw and a rubber tube with a mouthpiece were seized from this room in a migrant worker dormitory during a raid which began late at night on Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Central Narcotics Bureau officers going through a luggage bag in a migrant worker dormitory room as part of a raid which began on the night of Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A suspect in handcuffs being led away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Central Narcotics Bureau officers conducting a search in a room at a migrant worker dormitory in Woodlands as part of a raid that began late at night on Nov 27, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Similar to the first room, officers went through luggage containing clothes, shoes and smaller bags, while others examined the cash, bills and cards in the suspect’s wallet before placing them, along with his mobile phone, into a sealable bag.
These items were then placed in a larger bag with the other exhibits.
Once the officers were done searching the bags, they returned all the contents and set them aside.
The entire drill took about 10 minutes, after which the suspect was helped to his feet and led out of the room.
A handcuffed suspect being escorted away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A handcuffed suspect being escorted away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
A handcuffed suspect being led away by Central Narcotics Bureau officers during a drug raid which concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
Central Narcotics Bureau officers escorted suspects from a drug raid at a migrant worker dormitory into a van as part of enforcement operations that concluded on Nov 28, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
The suspects were then taken to another area in the dormitory for processing before being transported away in vans. The media observed four suspects, each escorted by an officer, being handed into two separate vans that subsequently left the compound.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the operation, Superintendent Xanthus Tong Hyeng Ji, Deputy Commanding Officer of CNB Enforcement J Division, said CNB remains committed to upholding drug laws and safeguarding the community, including migrant workers.
"This operation is part of our law enforcement efforts against drug abuse and trafficking and other criminal and illicit activities. Such activities will not be tolerated and those involved will be dealt with accordingly," Mr Tong said.
"Drugs have no place in Singapore – be it in the community, workplace, or residential premises – our enforcement efforts are geared towards early detection and intervention. Early detection allows any risks – whether in the form of drug abuse or illicit activities – to be addressed quickly and prevent the spread, given the harmful and addictive nature of drugs."
Investigations for all arrested suspects are ongoing, CNB said.
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