Man gets jail after being caught with 2.4kg of cannabis in Jurong West flat

SINGAPORE: A industrial diver who habitually smoked cannabis or "marijuana", purportedly to alleviate the again ache he skilled because of his job, was sentenced to 9 years' jail on Monday (Oct 25) for drug offences together with possessing about 2.4kg of the drug.

Muhammad Haikal Mohamadan, 31, pleaded responsible to a few expenses together with drug consumption, possession of a Class A managed drug and possession of drug utensils. A fourth cost was thought of in sentencing.

The court docket heard that Haikal was acquainted with co-accused Muhammad Shahrukh Khan Mohamed Rosli, who helped a person recognized solely as "Ah Bang" to ship medication. Shahrukh additionally offered cannabis on the aspect to his personal purchasers, at a price of S$200 for about 50g.

Haikal had beforehand purchased cannabis from Shahrukh's predecessor, however was informed to purchase it from Shakrukh from January 2019. Haikal first met Shahrukh in Pasir Ris in January 2019, the place he purchased S$100 value of cannabis from him.

They met a second time close to Haikal's residence, and Shahrukh deposited about 350g of cannabis with Haikal for safekeeping as he didn't need to carry an excessive amount of medication in his automobile ought to he get caught.

On Mar 15, 2019, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers acted on intelligence and arrested Shahrukh at a carpark at Block 854A, Jurong West St 81.

Shahrukh had met Haikal that day to gather cannabis-grinding gear from Haikal, and requested Haikal to safekeep 5 blocks of cannabis for him.

When Haikal realised CNB officers had been onto them, he threw one of the cannabis blocks out of the window.

The officers nabbed Haikal in his flat close by that very same day and seized a number of blocks of vegetable matter from his master suite, behind the main bedroom door and from a grass patch beneath his rest room.

In complete, CNB officers discovered seven blocks, eight packets and unfastened vegetable matter containing not less than 2.4kg of cannabis in Haikal's possession.

Haikal's urine samples had been discovered to comprise a cannabinol by-product.

Shahrukh was convicted in the excessive court docket of offences together with trafficking cannabis to Haikal, and was given 27 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane. Haikal's case was downgraded from the High Court to the State Courts.

He stated he started smoking cannabis in 2018, normally smoking one joint on most weekdays. He stated this was to alleviate the ache in his again.

HE SMOKED IT NOT FOR ANYTHING SINISTER OR NEFARIOUS: DEFENCE

The prosecution sought 10 years' jail for the principle cost, whereas defence lawyer Amarick Gill stated eight years would suffice.

He stated his shopper didn't know precisely what number of blocks of cannabis had been handed over to him by Shahrukh. 

"Haikal was forthcoming in admitting that he had a habit of smoking 'marijuana'. He only smoked it to relieve him from the radiating pain he experienced as a commercial diver and not for anything sinister or nefarious," stated Mr Gill.

He stated his shopper had a difficult childhood, being concerned in gangs and having stints in boys' properties and reformative coaching centres for preventing, however had turned his life round throughout nationwide service and have become a industrial diver.

He has three youngsters with his spouse, and admits his actions have "cost him dearly", stated Mr Gill.

"He understands that there were other avenues in which he could have sought to alleviate his pain, but he made foolish and incalculable choices that have landed him in the predicament he is in," he continued.

The decide backdated the jail time period to March 2019, after considering Haikal's interval of remand.

For possessing a Class A managed drug with out authorisation, he may have been jailed as much as 10 years and fined a most of S$20,000.