Singapore’s competent agencies arrested 712 drug traffickers in 2018, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reported, noting a sharp rise in the number of foreign offenders arrested, from 127 in 2014 to 217 last year.
Illustrative image (Source: Central Narcotics Bureau)
Singapore (VNA) – Singapore’s competent agencies arrested 712 drug traffickers in2018, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reported, noting a sharp rise in thenumber of foreign offenders arrested, from 127 in 2014 to 217 last year.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam revealed that about 30 percent ofdrug traffickers caught in Singapore were Malaysians.
An MHA survey released earlier this year showed thatmore youngsters are using drug. Last year, the authorities arrested 3,438 drugabusers, an 11 percent increase from 3,091 in 2017.
In Singapore, anyone found guilty of trafficking more than 250g ofmethamphetamine faces the death penalty.
In January last year, the authorities seized the largest single heroin haul –about 8.8 kg – in recent years.
Southeast Asia has become the largest and fastest-growing methamphetaminemarket in the world. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs andCrime’s World Drug Report 2019, seizures of methamphetamine rose more thaneightfold between 2007 and 2017 in the East and Southeast Asia regions.-VNA
The Singapore economy expanded by 4.6 percent year on year in the third quarter of this year, the highest growth in three years, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) of Singapore said on November 23 that it decided to adjust the country’s economic forecast this year to 3-3.5 percent from an earlier prediction of 2-3 percent.
The Singapore economy is likely to end the year weaker than earlier expected in the context that the ongoing tension between the US and China has stalled three of the world’s growth engines — trade, manufacturing and investments, warned Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Managing Director Ravi Menon on June 27.
The handover ceremony was held at the Malaysian Embassy headquarters in Mexico City on August 8, with the presence of heads of diplomatic missions from ASEAN member states in Mexico.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Illustrative image (Source: Central Narcotics Bureau) 
