SEIZED: ECSTASY PACKED AS PANADOL

EMPTY Panadol packaging has been used for the first time to disguise
Ecstasy pills in Singapore.

The Central Narcotics Bureau found the tablets in re-sealed Panadol strips
in Panadol cartons during a major drug haul at a Newton Road hotel on Friday.

CNB deputy director Muhammad Azni Sarbini said the seizure of Ecstasy, Ice,
cannabis, Ketamine, Erimin and Dormicum was worth more than $100,000.

It was the second-largest haul of synthetic and psychotropic drugs this year.

The largest seizure was in June, when the CNB recovered more than $560,000
worth of drugs

But Friday's haul of 231 g of Ice in 62 packets was the biggest haul of
that drug this year.

Mr Muhammad Azni said some of the 1,315 Ecstasy tablets had been re-sealed
into Panadol strips using plastic lamination -- the first time the CNB had
seen the pills packed this way.

Four Singaporeans -- three men and a woman -- have been arrested for drug
trafficking. But officers suspect more people are involved.

This is the 18th drug syndicate smashed this year.

Two of the men were stopped at a road block in front of Park Mall, Penang
Road, at 3 am on Friday.

An Erimin tablet was found on the driver, a 34-year-old salesman.

Six more Erimin tablets, 40 Ecstasy tablets, and a 52 g packet of Ketamine
were in the boot.

The driver and his passenger, a 45-year-old unemployed man, were arrested.

A 35-year-old renovation-company manager -- the driver's girlfriend -- and
an unemployed man, 24, were picked up at a Newton Road hotel at 7 pm.

In the room, police and CNB officers found another 121 g of Ketamine, 77 g
of cannabis, 231 g of Ice, 1,275 Ecstasy tablets, 1,150 Erimin tablets and
90 Dormicum tablets. The three male suspects tested positive for amphetamines.