13-12-2024 (SINGAPORE) A suspicious package containing an unidentified white substance, later suspected to be narcotics, triggered a major emergency response and the evacuation of residents in Singapore’s upmarket Orchard district on Thursday evening.
The incident unfolded at approximately 5:25 pm when authorities were alerted to the presence of an unknown package on Saunders Road. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) swiftly deployed their Hazardous Materials (HazMat) team to the scene, whilst police established a security cordon around the affected area.
As a precautionary measure, approximately 20 residents from nearby buildings were evacuated as specialists in protective gear conducted their investigation. The scene drew considerable attention from onlookers as multiple emergency vehicles, including specialised HazMat units, lined the typically quiet residential street.
SCDF officers, donning full personal protective equipment, carried out extensive testing of the suspicious substance. While initial HazMat assessments revealed no immediately harmful components, police investigations subsequently indicated the white powder was likely to be illicit drugs.
Further details emerged revealing that the package in question was actually an envelope delivered to a residential mailbox. The security cordon remained in place for approximately 90 minutes before being lifted at around 7 pm, with no injuries reported during the incident.
A police spokesperson confirmed that the case has been transferred to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) for thorough investigation, highlighting the serious nature of the discovery.
