Leong Kun Tong and Thomas Lee Chee Seng
Leong Kun Tong:
After my GCE (O-Levels equivalent), I chanced upon an advertisement for the role of a customs officer, which I applied for and was successful. I was subsequently seconded to CNB and Immigration and came back as a Special Investigator under the Special Investigation Division.
During the course of my career, I have had a few interesting cases. One case I was involved in was thwarting a drug smuggling operation. It was then, in the 1970s, when many Chinese coolies were habitual smokers of this narcotic drug. We received news that a red Datsun 1207 coupe was to be driven by a male Chinese from Penang with a consignment of opium. Finding that its windscreen was shattered, we sought help from the sole agent of Datsun vehicles where investigations later revealed that the smuggler had sought their help to replace the windscreen.
We stationed our surveillance team at Woodlands checkpoint, and after 4 days, we spotted the subject’s vehicle trying to leave Singapore for Malaysia. Our officers immediately blocked his vehicle with our squad car.
A total of 20 slabs of raw opium were found concealed in the front door panels and rear seat panels. The subject (male Chinese) was subsequently charged in court for the trafficking of a controlled drug. I had my day in court as a witness for the Prosecution’s case.
In another case involving smuggling, we had to combat smugglers who had infiltrated Singapore’s jungles in search of illegal samsoo (medicinal liquor) distilleries.
In this operation, even though no arrests were made, we still made the right call to destroy all the apparatus on site.
Looking back, I am proud of my role as a Special Investigator to keep my country safe and secure all these years by conducting such operations. I know this is important and necessary, in order to achieve stability and security for Singapore, so that it is in good shape for the next generation to take over.
Thomas Lee Chee Seng:
When I was younger, Crime Watch happened to be one of my favourite shows. It was always fascinating to see how the police interacted with the investigators, as well as the sentences usually meted out by the judges.
This led me to pursue a law degree in University, as I wanted to know more about the role of every legal enforcement officer within the entire legal framework.
In law school, there were many opportunities to learn about criminal cases. In one of my practical modules, I was required to sit in a drug smuggling case in the Court of Appeal. That was my first time sitting in the highest court of the land and I was blown away by that experience. The accused was actually the same person as one of the cases that I had studied for in a class before and she was there to appeal the death penalty that she was sentenced for in the court below.
The stories that I usually read about now in law school are multifaceted. On one hand, smuggling activities are harmful to Singaporeans. In the worst case, drug smuggling can affect not just the individual but also the people around him/her. On the other hand, those who smuggle but are caught, usually do so because they do not have as many opportunities in life, since those running the syndicates will still usually escape the eyes of the law. This makes smuggling a very perplex and weighted issue, and I now tend to find that a lot of nuances must be had to examine how harsh one’s penalty/sentence should be.
On hindsight, I cannot help but thank the many unsung heroes that have helped to keep Singapore safe for the past few decades. I feel great appreciation to all those (past and present), especially those who were very active in fieldwork to keep our borders safe from drugs, as well as thwarting the plans of those who wanted to sell addictive, contraband items in Singapore.
