The Straits Times, Singapore, 2 August 1996

Trial of PT instructor for heroin trafficking begins

CENTRAL Narcotics Bureau officers seized six sachets and seven taped packages containing 251.7 g of heroin from a storeroom at Bukit Panjang Camp in April, the High Court heard yesterday (Aug 1).

In the dock was physical training instructor Fun Seong Cheng, 22, who claimed trial to having seven packets and six sachets of heroin for trafficking on April 16 this year (96).

A person convicted of trafficking in more than 15 g of heroin gets the mandatory death penalty.

Deputy Public Prosecutor R.D. Gangatharan said in his opening that evidence will show that two parties of CNB officers watched Fun and his two friends, Tan Peng Swa, 23, and Kua Teck Meng, 29, that day.

Tan and Kua, both unemployed, were each sentenced to 23 years' jail and 15 strokes of the cane on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of trafficking in 14.99 g of heroin. They were originally accused of the capital case.

Dr Gangatharan said officers saw Tan stopping his blue hired Proton Saga in front of a white Rover at the driveway of Beauty World Centre at about 12.50 pm.

Tan then talked to the other driver and left with a piece of white paper in his hand.

Officers then trailed him to a Geylang hotel, and later, Bukit Panjang Camp along Gombak Drive.

Meanwhile, another party of CNB officers, led by ASP Lim Chei Yoo, arrested Fun outside the Al-Ameen Eating House at Chun Tin Road in Upper Bukit Timah. Tan and Kua were also arrested.

ASP Lim took a car key from Tan and found $13,577 in the glove compartment. He also seized a brown paper bundle containing a stack of 3,024 empty plastic sachets in the boot.

All three were taken to Fun's office at Block 308 in Bukit Panjang Camp where a newspaper bundle with torn pieces of white paper and three torn empty plastic bags stained with yellow powder was found in the waste paper basket.

Fun later led the CNB officers to the storeroom where more drugs and other paraphernalia were found.

On analysis, the 3.1 kg of heroin was found to have not less than 251.7 g of diamorphine. The trial continues.