As far as harsh drug laws are concerned, Singapore has some of the toughest on the books.

The country's strict Misuse of Drugs Act punishes possession of even miniscule amounts of illegal drugs and prescribes execution if you're found guilty of carrying large amounts of particular types of drugs.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the burden of proof lies on the defendant, not on the government. If you're caught with large amounts of drugs, you are simply presumed by law to be trafficking. It goes even further—if you own a house or a car in which illegal drugs have been found, you are presumed under the law to have possession of the drug, unless you can prove otherwise.

The law is consistent with Singapore's authoritarian law enforcement culture—harsh laws, mercilessly applied, are thought to work best at deterring social evils like drug use.

Penalties for Drug Possession

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the prescribed penalties for possession of small amounts range from fines of up to $20,000 to a maximum of ten years in prison.

As per Section 17 of the Act, you are automatically presumed to be trafficking in drugs if you are caught with the following amounts: