By Neena Bhandari
Sydney : Peter Lloyd, Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) South Asia correspondent based in New Delhi, has been arrested on drug trafficking charges in Singapore. If found guilty, he could face a 20-year jail term and up to 15 lashes from the cane.
Lloyd, 41, has been accused of supplying the drug ice (crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride) to a Singaporean man and is likely to be formally charged with drug offences Friday.
He was arrested Wednesday from Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau.
According to local media reports, police allegedly found a packet of `ice’ weighing approximately 0.8 grams, one improvised smoking pipe and six syringes during a search of the apartment where Lloyd was arrested.
“His urine was screened positive for amphetamines, a controlled drug, on the instant urine test machine. He is under investigation for the offence of trafficking in a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act,” one of the arresting officers alleged, reports Australian Associated Press (AAP).
ABC News director John Cameron said in a statement, “Peter was in Singapore on leave from his posting in New Delhi. The ABC has not been told of the full details of the case, but we were aware that Peter had been undergoing hospital treatment in Singapore for a serious eye condition which he contracted while on leave”.
“The ABC is in close contact with consular officials and is also taking steps to ensure Peter is given appropriate legal representation”, Cameron said.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson said the Australian High Commission in Singapore is providing the veteran journalist with consular assistance.
The award-winning journalist was expected to return to Australia to host ABC2’s new breakfast show beginning this September.