Former CNB officer admits to misappropriating nearly S$1,300 from two detainees
A former CNB officer, Muhammad Fayyaz Helmi, admitted to pocketing nearly S$1,300 from two arrested individuals and forging official records to hide the theft. He pleaded guilty to criminal breach of trust, forgery, and obstruction of justice, with sentencing set for November 2025.
- A former CNB investigation officer Helmi misappropriated nearly S$1,300 from two arrested men.
- He forged official CNB documents to cover up the theft and obstruct justice.
- The ex-CNB officer pleaded guilty to criminal breach of trust, forgery, and obstruction of justice; sentencing is scheduled for November 2025.
According to court proceedings on 27 October 2025, former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) investigation officer (IO) Muhammad Fayyaz Helmi, aged 29, pleaded guilty to one count each of criminal breach of trust, forgery, and obstructing the course of justice.
Fayyaz resigned from the CNB in May 2024 following internal investigations into the offences.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jheong Siew Yin told the court that the offences involved two arrested individuals, identified as V1 and V2, from whom cash and property had been seized during investigations.
Misappropriation of V1’s money
Fayyaz was the IO handling the case of 72-year-old V1 in April 2022.
On 12 April that year, V1 was taken into custody and had more than S$900 in cash and two mobile phones seized.
He was later admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre in June 2022 and subsequently transferred to a halfway house.
In November 2023, Fayyaz pocketed V1’s seized cash for personal use.
On or around 9 January 2024, he returned V1’s two mobile phones, and V1 signed an official CNB acknowledgement slip confirming receipt of the devices.
When V1 enquired about his missing cash, Fayyaz falsely claimed another CNB officer had taken responsibility and promised to locate the money.
V1 later informed the chairman of his halfway house about the matter.
The chairman reported it to the CNB, prompting further inquiry.
DPP Jheong stated that upon learning of the report, Fayyaz attempted to conceal his wrongdoing by handing S$950 to V1 at his workplace.
He also forged a CNB-issued acknowledgement slip, falsely indicating that V1 had received his seized cash on 9 January 2024.
Second case involving V2
Fayyaz committed similar offences against a second individual, identified as V2, aged 27.
In January 2024, he misappropriated more than S$360 of V2’s seized money.
Two months later, in March 2024, he transferred S$400 to V2.
According to DPP Jheong, Fayyaz then instructed V2 on 1 April 2024 to lie that his seized belongings had been returned to him on 17 January 2024 and to conceal the fact that they had not been returned at that time.
Discovery and arrest
On 5 April 2024, another CNB officer made a police report against Fayyaz after learning of the offences.
Fayyaz was arrested the same day.
He was formally charged in court in January 2025. His sentencing is scheduled for November 2025.
For criminal breach of trust, an offender can face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years and a fine.
In the case of perverting the course of justice, the offender can be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in jail and fined.
