SINGAPORE — A 37-year-old man in Singapore, Tan Xianglong, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in prison for attempting to frame his estranged wife by planting cannabis in her car. The plan, which he believed would lead to her receiving the death penalty, was foiled after a series of unexpected events, including surveillance footage from the wife’s car.
According to the BBC, Tan, who separated from his wife in 2022, planted what he thought was over half a kilogram of cannabis between the rear passenger seats of her vehicle. Singapore is known for its stringent anti-drug laws, where possession of significant amounts of illegal drugs can result in severe penalties, including the death penalty for drug trafficking.
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However, less than half of the substance Tan planted was actual cannabis, with the remainder being filler material. Tan’s intention was to scare his wife and get her into legal trouble, according to court documents. He believed that if his wife had a criminal record, it could expedite their divorce proceedings, as Singapore requires couples to be married for at least three years before they can file for divorce.
Tan had shared details of his plan with his girlfriend via Telegram, where he boasted about hatching the “perfect crime” to frame his wife. On October 16, he purchased a brick of cannabis through a Telegram chat group, ensuring it weighed over 500 grams, and placed it in his wife’s car the following day.
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The plot unraveled when the wife’s car, equipped with a security camera, detected movement and sent her a notification of a “parking impact.” When she checked the live footage, she saw Tan near her vehicle and reported him to the police for harassment. During the police investigation, the drugs were discovered, leading to her arrest. However, after finding no evidence to support the charges against her, authorities turned their focus on Tan, eventually arresting him.
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Tan’s lawyer argued that he was suffering from depression at the time of the crime, but the court dismissed this claim, citing medical evaluations that found no evidence of mental illness. Despite facing a potential five-year sentence for drug possession, Tan received a reduced term due to his cooperation and early guilty plea.
Singapore’s strict drug laws have led to severe penalties, including recent executions of drug traffickers, which have sparked criticism from international human rights organizations.
