Five women were arrested at Singapore’s Changi Airport after nearly 27 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly discovered hidden in their luggage during a transit stop and now may face the death penalty.
Five Women Face Capital Charges In Singapore After Nearly 27kg Of Cocaine Found In Luggage
On July 29, 2025, officers from Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), working with Hong Kong counterparts, intercepted five foreign women aged between 21 and 48 in the transit zone of Changi Airport’s Terminal 4. Authorities recovered approximately 26.9 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside stuffed toys, along with 10 g of cannabis.
Each woman has been charged under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act. Trafficking more than 30 grams of cocaine carries a mandatory death penalty, making this a capital case.
The suspects include Chung Ka Yiu, 21, a Hong Kong national, and four Kenyan nationals: Faith Awino Ouma, 27; Genetrix Atsieno Juma, 27; Joyce Njeri Mburu, 30 and Margaret Kawira Mungai, 32.
Transit Isn’t A Free Pass
Singapore is one of several countries in Asia that imposes capital punishment for drug trafficking. The country’s approach is not symbolic. It has executed both locals and foreigners found guilty of drug crimes, most recently a Singaporean man and a Malaysian woman convicted of smuggling cannabis and heroin, respectively.
Warnings are clearly posted on all immigration forms and airline boarding announcements for flights into Singapore. “Death for drug traffickers under Singapore law” is not a suggestion. It is a legal reality.
What Travelers Should Know
- Singapore enforces some of the world’s strictest drug trafficking laws. Even seemingly minor drug offenses can carry capital sentences.
- Transit passengers should never assume their luggage is safe from inspection. CNB operates surveillance and checks across all terminals, including transit zones.
- Because the women exchanged suitcases before customs checks, authorities considered it suspicious behavior. Intelligence-sharing between enforcement agencies aided the arrest.
CONCLUSION
Nearly 27 kilograms of cocaine is no small sum and Singapore simply doesn’t tolerate ambiguity when it comes to drug trafficking. Travelers must stay vigilant, aware that strict drug enforcement, even in transit, is very real. Be mindful of your luggage, your behavior, and most of all, know the law before you fly.
Let this be a reminder that when traveling abroad, ignorance is not a defense. Know the laws, and be extremely cautious—especially when entering countries with zero-tolerance policies.
image: CNB // hat tip: SINJim
I think there are typos in the article – it is 27 grams or 27 kilograms?
What do you mean by this?
“Trafficking more than 30 grams of cocaine carries a mandatory death penalty. In this case, the reported total was 26.856 grams, making the imposition of the death penalty discretionary.”
I strongly support strict drug trafficking laws. As an opponent of the death penalty, however, obviously I don’t support Singapore’s stance in this regard.
I find it extremely disturbing, that a country can justify death for carrying 30g of drugs, even with intent for distribution.
Article says 30 kg, which is over 60 pounds
Matthew says that you get death for 30 grams.
Matthew has a typo.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/5-women-face-capital-charges-after-they-were-allegedly-found-with-nearly-27kg-of-cocaine
27 KILOGRAMS
They had more than 1,000 pellets.
I’m not disagreeing with you on how much they had. Matthew says that 30 grams constitutes distribution and therefore death. You might disagree but I don’t think someone has to have 30 kilos of cocaine to be considered a dealer in any country.
you bring drugs into Singapore, expect to die
Don’t whine when you FAFO
You say both grams and kilograms in your article. Which is it? You say there were carrying 26.9 Kilograms – did you mean grams.
Click on the link on the article: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/5-women-face-capital-charges-after-they-were-allegedly-found-with-nearly-27kg-of-cocaine
“Five foreign women were each handed a capital charge on July 31 after they were allegedly found with more than 1,300 pellets containing nearly 27kg of cocaine in Singapore.” They should have known the local laws before making this stupid mistake. Too bad!
Yellow cocaine is a thing? Kids today…
Yeah, kids of the late 70’s.
I’d say it’s packed in yellow gel-caps.
I think Singapore’s drug laws are madness. The laws are draconian and inhumane. I recognize that Singapore does have to have harsh penalties for law breaking but killing people is pretty extreme.
That said, their laws are what they are and carrying multiple kilos of cocaine through Singapore makes Florida Man look like Albert Einstein by comparison.
Their county, their laws. If you don’t like it, don’t travel to Singapore or much easier, do not break their laws. They didn’t just make up that law on the spot, it has been in place for a long time and it is the type of law that makes Singapore one of the best best places to live in the world. I fully support it. Just don’t break the law and you will be fine.
A lot of Asian countries took these draconian stances due to Tricky Dick Nixon around 1970. I’m not a fan of the USA arm twisting countries to change their laws to suit what we happen to think at the time, in this case the whole Reefer Madness mentality. Fortunately some sanity is starting to emerge in places like Thailand. I don’t do drugs except alcohol so this is not me pushing a viewpoint because it benefits me, which is what most people do.
“…the whole Reefer Madness mentality.” So, there should be no difference in how Marijuana and Cocaine are treated policy-wise, like in liberally? That’s the same attitude that merges illegal immigration with legal immigration and assumes that if one opposes illegal immigration, you oppose all.
Agree.
The rationale is that drugs kill and mess up a lot of lives. As far as I know, Singapore doesn’t execute people found with drugs for personal consumption, just smugglers trying to smuggle drugs to be sold to users.
Grams or KG no matter .
BRAVO Singapore.
This teaches a lesson
Amen
Meanwhile back in the USA , a busted heroin addict is appointed Health and Human Services secretary.
The financial rewards of drug trafficking come with the substantial risks of detection, imprisonment, or possibly even death. They’re grown women who took the risk and got caught. I have no sympathy for them.
It’s normal due to prevailing winds to make the approach to Changi from the south and usually in the early morning the left hand runway is in use. What most people don’t know is that as you clear the runway at the northern end you are within spitting distance (but don’t spit because it’s illegal in Singapore) of Changi Prison where in the early morning they carry out the executions.
Welcome to Singapore, Disneyland with the death penalty.
GOOD.
Does cocaine really ruin lives, or do anti-drug laws dealing with cocaine ruin lives? Some of the most successful people I know live ripping the occasional line. I understand the law has been in place for a while, but it’s funny to me that cocaine is viewed by governments with such derision.
Cocaine is extremely addictive, and very bad for the cardiovascular system.
Love it! We need this law in America but both parties are too big of p#ssies to real solve the drug problem.
Imagine the benefits to our country in both jobs and eliminating junkies.
I think that the majority of world travelers, like me, know that Singapore and some other countries are very strict on their laws. In some cases, extremely strict. Ignorance is “trainable”. Stupidity is not. While I”m not an illegal or recreational drug user (airline employee), those who use, sell, or transport illegal or illicit drugs over state or international borders, will pay the price in money, jail time or even death for their stupidity.