Man gets jail after introducing teen to meth, acting as 14-year-old's supplier

SINGAPORE: After pressuring a 14-year-old boy into trying methamphetamine, a man then sold him the drug at least five times.

Wong Hong Boon was jailed for nine years and handed five strokes of the cane on Monday (Sep 11) after pleading guilty to one count of drug trafficking no less than 0.28g of methamphetamine.

The 40-year-old former surveyor also pleaded guilty to one count of drug consumption and one count of enhanced drug consumption. Before his current set of offences, Wong had been convicted in 2014 of consuming methamphetamine and sentenced to nine months of jail.

Another nine charges, most of which are for drugs, were considered for his sentencing.

The teen, now 16, cannot be named due to a gag order protecting his identity.

He met Wong in February 2019, after a mutual acquaintance introduced them.

Wong, a father to three teenagers, had some "ice" - the street name for methamphetamine - with him and asked the teen if he wanted to try smoking the drug.

"(The teen) declined initially but inhaled some methamphetamine fumes when pressured by the accused," Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Kai told the court.

Wong did not charge the teen for the drug. He was aware that the boy was under 21.

It was the teen's first time consuming methamphetamine.

After this occasion, Wong sold methamphetamine to the teen five to six times between February 2019 and Mar 30, 2019. 

On Mar 30, 2019, the teen texted Wong to place an order for 1.5g of methamphetamine for S$130 (US$95.48). 

He got into Wong's car at a carpark in the vicinity of Block 180 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 and paid for the drugs.

The teen was arrested on Apr 2, 2019 and found to be in possession of a packet of crystalline substance, which was the methamphetamine he bought from Wong.

The substance was analysed by the Health Sciences Authority and found to contain no less than 0.28g of methamphetamine.  

A day later, Wong was arrested along the road opposite Genting Hotel Jurong for suspected drug consumption.

His urine sample was found to contain methamphetamine. Investigations showed that Wong had last smoked "ice" in a hotel room at Genting Hotel Jurong before his arrest.

He was scheduled to plead guilty on Oct 5, 2020 but did not attend his hearing. A warrant of arrest was then issued against him. 

Wong was only arrested at Peace Centre on Jul 13, 2022. Urine samples taken from him were found to contain methamphetamine and he admitted that he had consumed "ice" that morning.

Seeking at least 10 years' jail and seven strokes of the cane, Mr Ng said: "This is a case where the accused targeted a young person, who was only 14 years old at the time of the offence, and introduced him to methamphetamine. This is predatory behaviour.

"This was not a one-off incident as the accused had introduced the young person to methamphetamine shortly prior to the offence and sold to him multiple times thereafter."

Wong's lawyer S S Dhillon said that his client has "gone through bouts of mental agony and anguish".

He urged the court to sentence Wong to eight-and-a-half years' jail and five strokes of the cane, citing his client's cooperation with the authorities and plea of guilt as mitigating factors.

"Due to his utter foolishness he has inflicted pain on his elderly father and his young children. Wong realises that he faces a long period of incarceration and his separation from his young children will bring untold suffering on them," Mr Dhillon said.

"The fear he received from his arrest, police investigations and court attendances has completely shell-shocked Wong. He is so dislocated and petrified that Wong will never dare to be anything less than a law abiding citizen henceforth."