S'pore Moots Asean Joint Statement to Reaffirm Strong Stance on Drug-Free Region

Fight Against Transnational Drug Trade Has to Include Regional Efforts: Shanmugam

- Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

Efforts by Singapore to tackle the drug scourge will see the Republic proposing an Asean joint statement to reaffirm a commitment towards a drug-free region.

Speaking on Aug 26 at the 46th Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Drug Matters held at Shangri-La Singapore, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said Singapore is proposing to deliver the joint statement at the 69th Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

"The statement will reaffirm our commitment towards a drug-free Asean, and express our concern about increasingly permissive attitudes towards drugs," he added.

The commission, which is the governing body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, assists in supervising the application of international drug control treaties.

Mr Shanmugam, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, said that anti-drug approaches must go beyond the domestic fight to include regional efforts.

He noted that Singapore's tough line on drugs has prevented syndicates from establishing themselves in the Republic and kept the problem under control.

He said that in 2024, the Central Narcotics Bureau conducted more than 1,000 operations at checkpoints to stem drug trafficking into Singapore, which led to the dismantling of more than 25 regional drug syndicates.