Pubdate: Sat, 09 Oct 2004 Source: Straits Times (Singapore) Copyright: 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Contact: http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/429 Author: Ben Nadarajan Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) SINGAPORE'S COCAINE CIRCLE They Tend To Meet While Doing Business Or At Social Gatherings THE cocaine-snorting circle in Singapore appears to be a small and tightly knit group. Its members are quite distinct from hardcore heroin addicts and yuppie party drug abusers, in that they tend to meet while doing business or at social gatherings, and will introduce each other to the drug as well as the syndicate selling it. However, sources said these people usually use the drugs for personal consumption. They don't dish it out at private parties. Most consume the coke in the privacy of their homes, although some take it just before they hit the pubs in their flashy sports cars or luxury sedans. Among the 23 people arrested in a swoop on a suspected cocaine trafficking ring this week, 16 were Singaporeans, two permanent residents and five foreigners. Tunisian Guiga Lyes Ben Laroussi, 35, marketing manager at Bobby Rubino's restaurant, is the alleged link-man of the syndicate. Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers had been tailing Laroussi for the past two months and had spotted him on several occasions meeting suspected drug addicts outside pubs in popular nightspot areas such as Mohamed Sultan. Bobby Rubino's owner, Mr Jimmy Hsiao, said Laroussi had called in on Wednesday, the day before his arrest, to ask for a few days off as his girlfriend's family was visiting from Malaysia. Mr Hsiao said Laroussi had started work at the restaurant about four months ago but had worked in Singapore before and 'knew a lot of expats here'. According to CNB records, the last time an expatriate was arrested for trafficking drugs here was way back in 1991 when Dutchman Johannes van Damme was caught with 4.3kg of heroin at the Changi Airport. He was hanged. Another expat who was arrested is Briton Nigel Bruce Simmonds, 35, a writer at The Expat Magazine before he became Tatler bureau chief in April and editor of Singapore Tatler, a high-society magazine. He is married to a Japanese woman, who recently gave birth to a daughter. Staff at the magazine were waiting yesterday morning for Simmonds to show up for a meeting with the magazine's managing director Andrew Thomas to discuss stories for the next issue. The meeting started without Simmonds and ended two hours later, with him still absent. One of his friends said: 'Nigel comes in late to work at times, but when the meeting ended and he still hadn't shown up, we started getting worried.' His mobile phone was switched off. When told the news, Mr Thomas declined to comment until he has a 'clearer picture of the situation'. Like Simmonds, award-winning French chef Francois Fabien Mermilliod, 29, has been charged with possessing drugs. He was mentioned in a recent issue of the Tatler. He worked in several restaurants here such as Au Petit Salut and Duo Restaurant, before he joined Flutes At The Fort, a fusion restaurant in Fort Canning. Mermilliod, who recently received a culinary award from the World Gourmet Summit, 'went missing' after lunch hour on Thursday and did not return, said his colleagues. His wife called the restaurant to say he was sick. Although few expatriates have been arrested for drug consumption in Singapore, CNB deputy director S. Vijakumar issued a strong warning to the community. 'We do not go easy on our enforcement on drugs. We will spare no community that gets involved,' he said. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charged with drug trafficking Singaporean Marx Oh Chee Wee, 31, director of events company Zero Event Concepts, was arrested at his house in Hyde Park Gate in Seletar. Allegedly had 2.3g of cocaine and 23.6g of cannabis. Tunisian Guiga Lyes Ben Laroussi, 35, marketing manager of restaurant Bobby Rubino's, was arrested at his apartment in Moulmein Green condominium; 61.2g of cocaine, 5.4g of ketamine, 2.6g of Ice, 1.3g of cannabis and 32 Ecstasy tablets allegedly found in his apartment. Singaporean Mariana Abdullah, 24, unemployed, arrested at Laroussi's apartment. Charged with possession of drugs Briton Nigel Bruce Simmonds, 35, editor of Singapore Tatler, arrested at Thomson Road. Allegedly had 0.8g of Ice. Frenchman Francois Fabien Mermilliod (right), 29, chef at Flutes at the Fort restaurant, arrested along Keng Lee Road. Allegedly had 0.5g of cocaine with him. Sri Lankan Jeremy Mahen Chanmugam, 40, director of Zero Event Concepts, arrested in his house at Hyde Park Gate in Seletar. Allegedly had 1g of cannabis and a replica pistol. Singaporean Hamden Mohd, 35, technician, nabbed along Norfolk Road, allegedly had 20 Ecstasy tablets. Singaporean Andy Ng Kwang Thiam, 23, director of local shipping company Ng Teow Yhee. Officers allegedly found 1.7g of Ice and 3.2g of cannabis in his Audi. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D