Malaysian motorcyclist nabbed at Tuas Checkpoint for allegedly smuggling kratom liquid into Singapore
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — A 37-year-old Malaysian motorcyclist was arrested at Tuas Checkpoint for allegedly attempting to smuggle a bottle of suspected kratom liquid into Singapore, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said.
According to a Facebook post cited by AsiaOne, ICA officers stopped the man for further inspection on October 14 after he claimed he had nothing to declare.
“A thorough check uncovered a bottle containing suspected kratom liquid in the man’s bag,” ICA said.
The case has been referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau for further investigation.
Kratom, also known as “biak”, “kakuam”, “ketum”, “thang”, or “thom”, is a tropical plant native to South-east Asia.
Its leaves can be consumed in various forms, such as crushed, brewed as tea, or taken as capsules.
The plant contains two major psychoactive compounds — mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine — both listed as Class A controlled drugs in Singapore.
Consumption can produce stimulant or sedative effects and, at higher doses, even psychotic symptoms.
Checks by AsiaOne found that the US Drug Enforcement Administration has classified kratom as a drug and chemical of concern.
Those convicted of importing Class A controlled drugs into Singapore face a minimum of five years in jail and caning.
