Lian Hoe Heng laundered more S$1.27million in drug proceeds for himself and a fellow syndicate member. - Photo: CNB
SINGAPORE: A 58-year-old Singaporean man who played a key role in a Malaysia-based drug syndicate was sentenced to 28 years and nine months’ jail on Monday (Dec 30), in Singapore’s largest money laundering prosecution for benefits from drug dealing.
Apart from coordinating the supply of drugs into Singapore, Lian Hoe Heng laundered more than S$1.27 million in drug proceeds for himself and a fellow syndicate member, prosecutors told the High Court.
In sentencing, Judicial Commissioner Christopher Tan noted that Lian was a central piece of the drug enterprise who reaped a six-figure sum coordinating the syndicate’s operations.
Lian had pleaded guilty to five charges – one for drug trafficking and four for money laundering. Another 18 charges, for drug-related offences and money laundering, were taken into consideration.
Lian admitted instigating another Singaporean, Tan Guosheng, to be in possession of not less than 249.99g of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.
The amount specified in the charge is just below the 250g threshold for the death penalty.
Tan, 30, was a customer of the syndicate who also helped Lian collect and distribute drugs.
Out of Lian’s four money laundering charges, one relates to his own criminal proceeds, while the other three relate to the criminal proceeds of a syndicate member identified as “Kadi”.
The total amount laundered comprised Lian’s proceeds of about $203,000 and Kadi’s proceeds of about $1.07 million.
A search of business records showed that Lian used to own Chuan Hup Seng Tentage Construction and Long Seng Chairs & Tables Rental Enterprise.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ivan Chua told the court that Lian left Singapore for Malaysia on Nov 19, 2018, and lived in Johor Bahru until he was repatriated to Singapore on April 16, 2023.
From 2020, Lian worked for a drug syndicate and took instructions from Kadi.
Lian’s role was to coordinate the supply of drugs, such as methamphetamine, ketamine, cannabis and MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy, into Singapore.
He took orders from customers through phone calls or text messages, and conveyed the orders to Kadi.
Kadi and other syndicate members would then arrange for the drugs to be delivered to various locations in Singapore.
Once the drugs had been dropped off, Lian would contact the runners or customers to collect the goods. He was paid with methamphetamine or a few hundred dollars for each order.
Lian would also tell the runners or customers to transfer payment for the drugs to various bank accounts in Singapore and Malaysia.
Where Kadi’s proceeds were transferred to Lian’s bank accounts, he would retain a portion as remuneration.
Lian also transferred his own proceeds from his accounts in Singapore to various accounts in Malaysia and his girlfriend’s bank account in Vietnam.
In some instances, Lian hired a third party, known only as “Lao Ban Niang”, to transfer drug proceeds from accounts in Singapore to those in Malaysia.
On Oct 7, 2020, a package containing crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as Ice, was deposited at a Housing Board lift lobby by a runner.
Lian instructed Tan to collect the package. In turn, Tan asked another person to help him collect it from the drop-off point.
After the drugs were handed to him, Tan drove back to his rented house in Kembangan.
He was arrested by officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in front of the house after he alighted from his car.
According to previous media reports, Lian’s involvement in the drug deal was uncovered after Tan’s arrest.
The agency then reached out to its foreign counterparts for information on his whereabouts.
Lian was arrested by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysian Police on March 31, 2023. He was repatriated to Singapore on April 16 that year.
DPP Nicholas Khoo sought a total jail term of at least 28 years and five months to reflect Lian’s criminality, both as a drug trafficker and a money launderer.
The prosecutor said Lian was not simply a drug mule, but an integral cog in the syndicate, and likened his role to that of a chief operating officer of a company.
Lian’s lawyer, Choo Si Sen, said his client was having financial difficulties in Malaysia when he was recruited by Kadi.
Tan’s case is pending in court. - The Straits Times/ANN
