Repeat offender hid drugs, other items in anus before court mention to evade detection
Muhammad Iskandar Shah Jaffar was sentenced to seven years and six months' jail, along with three strokes of the cane, after pleading guilty to six charges, most of which were drug-related.
A view of the State Courts building in Singapore.
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SINGAPORE: A repeat drug offender hid packets of drugs in his anus to evade detection at the State Courts but later underwent an X-ray scan as he was remanded.
The next day, prison officers recovered the drugs - along with a lighter and a court mention slip - among Muhammad Iskandar Shah Jaffar's faecal matter.
Iskandar, 38, was sentenced to seven years and six months' jail, along with three strokes of the cane, on Friday (Mar 27) after pleading guilty to six charges, most of which were drug-related.
These include possessing diamorphine and methamphetamine, and consuming a specified drug.
Apart from drug offences, Iskandar pleaded guilty to the theft of a van, for which he received a one-year driving ban.
Another seven charges, the bulk of which are also drug-related, were taken into consideration for sentencing.
On Sep 17, 2025, Iskandar was due to attend a court mention but realised he had packets of methamphetamine and diamorphine on him.
Fearing that he would be caught while passing the security gantry at the State Courts, Iskandar packed the items in plastic and taped them before inserting the bundle into his anus.
His bail was revoked during the hearing and he was remanded.
During an X-ray scan at Singapore Prisons later that day, officers suspected that he had contraband concealed in his body.
The next day, prison officers recovered a black bundle from Iskandar's faecal matter after he defecated.
Among other things, the bundle contained a lighter, a court mention slip, a piece of paper and multiple packets, including substances later analysed to contain diamorphine, a Class A controlled drug.
Investigations revealed that Iskandar had intended to consume the drugs.
He had committed other offences earlier.
In October 2024, Iskandar fled from police during an encounter, abandoning a vehicle that was later found to contain drug-related paraphernalia and substances including diamorphine and methamphetamine.
He escaped by jumping into a canal during a commotion.
He was also involved in the theft of a delivery van in January 2025. He drove the van away after finding it unattended with the keys left in the ignition. Several items, including a mobile phone and cashcard, were taken from the vehicle.
Closed-circuit television footage captured him entering and driving the van away. The vehicle was later found abandoned at Woodlands Industrial Park on Jan 25, 2025.
Separately, Iskandar failed to report for mandatory urine tests a total of 88 times while under a five-year supervision period from Feb 14, 2024 to Feb 13, 2029.
He skipped the tests as he had relapsed into drug use and did not want to get caught.
He was arrested on May 7, 2025, and urine tests confirmed the presence of monoacetylmorphine, indicating he had consumed diamorphine.
Iskandar has prior drug convictions and had previously been admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre for drug consumption offences.
