S'pore man, 34, found guilty of smuggling meth into S'pore from Johor via drone

A Singaporean man, 34, attempted to smuggle methamphetamine from Johor to Singapore by flying it across the Straits of Johor via a drone.

The police detected the drone, and he was caught.

He was found guilty in court on Sep. 4 for his part in the incident and will be sentenced at a later date.

Helmi's circle

According to court documents seen by Mothership, the 34-year-old, Helmie Shahrezza Bin Shahrom, had been dealing drugs from suppliers in Malaysia.

Helmi had known Mohamad Hasri bin Ab Rahim before the drone incident, having consumed and dealt drugs together.

Helmi also got to know Mohamad Shahrezza bin Mohammad Zuhri around March or April 2020, and began supplying him with drugs soon after.

Learning that Shahrezza flew drones, Helmi engaged him as the pilot for his drone “operations”.

These "operations" took place two or three times a week at Kranji Reservoir Park around April or May 2020, when Covid-19 restrictions were still in place.

The items were bundled and prepared by Helmie's contacts in Malaysia.

Shahrezza would pilot and correspond with other members involved to coordinate the drone "operations".

Jun. 17 drone 'operation'

When Covid-19 restrictions kicked in, Hasri sought Helmi’s help to secure drug supplies.

Shortly before the morning of Jun. 17, 2020, Hasri placed an order for 125g of “ice” from Helmi, who charged S$4,000 to S$4,500 for the order.

That afternoon, Helmie, Hasri and Shahrezza went to Kranji Reservoir Park to conduct the "operation".

Shahrezza, at the direction of Helmie, piloted a Mavic Air 2 drone over the straits to a beach in Pantai Lido in Johor.

There, one Mohammad Nazri Bin Jumat awaited the drone's arrival and was on call with Helmi, who was coordinating the drone flight.

When the drone arrived, it descended to Nazri's level, and Nazri then attached a black pouch containing about 269.02g of "ice" onto the drone.

Sharezza piloted the drone back across the waters to Kranji Reservoir Park.

SPF detected drone

At about 5:50pm, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) detected a drone in the airspace around the park and dispatched police officers to investigate.

Hasri, who was acting as the lookout, alerted Helmie about the police's arrival in the area.

Officers attending to the scene noticed a drone with a black pouch attached, and it descended to an area behind the toilet hut at the park.

Helmie detached the pouch and threw it into the bushes just before the police arrived.

Upon questioning, Shahrezza retrieved the drone from a green rubbish bin.

Police also spotted the black pouch in the bushes.

Helmie later claimed he had no idea that the drugs were attached to the drone until it arrived in Singapore.

Further investigations by the police later that evening revealed that the pouch contained methamphetamine.

Supposed to come by boat

It was not disputed that the drone had indeed carried drugs across the straits from Johor to Singapore and that it was Shahrezza, under Helmie’s instruction, who piloted the drone.

Instead, Helmie’s defence mainly relied on questioning whether the 34-year-old was aware that the drone would be ferrying drugs.

He claimed that while he did make an order for drugs, it was supposed to be brought in by the usual modus operandi of boat rather than drone and at another timing.

He also claimed that Hasri was the one who arranged for the drone flight.

Faces 24 charges in total

According to charge sheets seen by Mothership, Helmi faces a total of 24 charges.

For the drone incident on Jun. 17, 2020, he was charged with offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Separately, he was also charged for drugs found in a car on Jun. 17, 2020, at Kranji Reservoir Park, the day of the drone incident.

Other charges appear unrelated to the drone incident, such as one for being found with duty-unpaid cigarettes in Yishun in 2019.

The next hearing is set for Sep. 17.

Top image via Google Maps, Pexels