CENTRAL Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers on Monday intercepted a drug consignment and seized 10.8 kg of heroin of the No. 4 quality, hot on the heels of last Saturday's seizure of 1.3 kg of the drug.

Sustaining its relentless enforcement efforts in stemming the flow of drugs into Singapore, CNB launched an operation on Monday and arrested three suspected drug traffickers - a 24-year-old Malaysian drug courier, a Malaysian woman recipient, 53, and a Singaporean storekeeper, 63.

A CNB statement on Tuesday said it received information that an international drug syndicate would be using Singapore as a transit point for illegal drugs.

An operation was set up to intercept the consignment.

At about 7 pm on Monday, CNB officers spotted the intended recipient at a drug storehouse at Block 98 Lorong 1, Toa Payoh in a Malaysian registered Mitsubishi Grandis.

They tracked her down to Changi Airport where she met up with the drug courier, who had arrived in Singapore on an international flight.

Both suspects then proceeded to the car park where the courier was seen handing over a black-coloured suitcase to the intended recipient. Shortly after, they parted ways.

The courier left the airport in a taxi while the recipient left in the Mitsubishi Grandis. The courier was arrested by CNB officers at a taxi-stand on Arab Street.

Meanwhile, another party of CNB officers arrested the recipient at the junction of Lorong 6 and Lorong 7 Toa Payoh.

CNB officers recovered the black-coloured suitcase from the boot of the car.

In a follow-up operation, the storekeeper of the drug storehouse was nabbed at about 9.15 pm in the vicinity of Block 94, Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.

A search was conducted on the drug storehouse at Block 98, Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, from where CNB officers seized another two black-coloured suitcases from the utilities room in the kitchen.

In all, CNB officers recovered about 10.8 kg of heroin No. 4 which had been compressed and hidden inside the false bottoms of the three suitcases

The drug courier will be investigated for trafficking in a controlled drug, an offence which carries the death penalty.

The other two suspects are being questioned for possession of a controlled drug for the purpose of trafficking. They, too, face the death penalty, if convicted.

'CNB will continue with its vigorous enforcement action to eradicate the illegal activities of drug syndicates operating in the region and beyond, and prevent them from using Singapore as a transit point for drug activities,' said the CNB statement.

In last Saturday's bust, the 5.3 kg of heroin seized is the second largest haul this year. Together with the 100 gram of methamphetamine, or 'Ice', seized, they carry a street value of $1.3 million.

Five suspected drug traffickers were arrested, including the head of a local syndicate, during the raids that spanned from Woodlands to Tiong Bahru.

Also seized was more than $82,000 in cash.