Drug runners 'gullible and ignorant of the law'

SINGAPORE - She would look out for teens, some as young as 14, at pubs in Geylang.

"Kelly" would then approach them or get other young "runners" to befriend them before introducing drugs like "Ice" and Ecstasy pills to them.

In the beginning, she would offer these drugs for free.

Once they got hooked and could not afford to pay for them, she would make the youngsters work for her in return for free drugs to feed their addiction.

The former drug trafficker, who is in her 20s, said that she would use the teens as her runners to pick up and deliver drugs for her. She would also pick the smarter ones to peddle drugs for her in pubs and games arcade.

"These teens are gullible and ignorant of the law.

"They would believe when told that the punishment is not as serious for them because they are young and act only as runners," she said.

Kelly added that drug traffickers like to tempt teens because they tend to get lighter punishment when caught.

She added: "Some of the teens would use the same trap on their friends.

"They get free supplies for themselves when their friends are roped in as runners."

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.