IN the second largest heroin haul this year, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) seized 5.3 kg of heroin and 100 grams of 'Ice' with a street value of over $1.3 million in an operation on Saturday.

They arrested five suspected drug traffickers and also seized from them drug proceeds amounting to over $82,000.

CNB, in a statement on Monday, said it received tip-off that a Singaporean drug syndicate leader would be receiving a fresh consignment of drugs from his Malaysian drug courier.

Further investigations revealed that he had a drug coordinator and drug runners working for him in the distribution of the drugs. An operation was immediately mounted.

On Saturday at about 2.55 pm, CNB officers spotted the suspected drug courier meeting up with the syndicate leader's drug runners at a multi-storey car park at Block 513A Choa Chu Kang.

Shortly after, they parted ways. CNB officers tailed the suspected drug courier, who was driving a green Proton Perdana and the two drug runners who were in a gold-coloured Chevrolet Optra.

The two suspected drug runners were trailed to Block 811, French Road where they were arrested.

A search of the vehicle recovered a paper bag containing 10 packets of heroin weighing about 4.4 kg from the floor of the front passenger seat, and two packets of heroin weighing approximately 890 grams and one packet of 'Ice' weighing about 100 grams from under the driver's seat.

The two drug runners are Singaporeans, aged 35 and 32. Both are being investigated for possession of a controlled drug for trafficking. If convicted, they face the death penalty.

Meanwhile, CNB officers caught the drug courier at Woodlands Road.

The suspect is a 44-year-old Malaysian man, who is being investigated for conspiracy to traffic in a controlled drug. If convicted, he too faces the death penalty.

In a follow-up operation to get the syndicate leader, CNB officers raided raided the suspect's hideout at Block 8, Jalan Kukoh, at 4.10 pm the same day and got him and a woman suspect.

The officers also seized one small packet of 'Ice' weighing 0.07 grams and cash of about $47,000, suspected to be drug proceeds from the suspected syndicate leader, a 33-year-old Singaporean.

Another $32,000 in cash was also recovered from the woman suspect.

In a further raid carried out shortly after, CNB officers raided a suspected drug coordinator's hideout at Block 28 Jalan Bukit Merah and arrested a 48-year-old Singaporean man.