The two were among 23 people who were arrested more than two weeks ago during raids by the Central Narcotics Bureau which implicated a number of wealthy Singaporeans and expatriates.

CNB spokeswoman Dawn Sim told AFP that Dutch business executive Petrus van Wanrooij, 41, was charged with ecstasy consumption while British financial broker Andrew William Veale, 56, was charged with taking cocaine and ecstasy.

The two face up to 10 years in jail or fines of up to S$20,000 (US$11,976), or both.

They were among six foreign nationals arrested during the raid.

Tunisian Guiga Lyes Ben Laroussi, 35, marketing manager of a popular restaurant, has been charged with drug trafficking and faces the death penalty.

Two Singaporeans, including the Tunisian's girlfriend, also face the death penalty after the raids exposed an exclusive group of locals and expatriates using cocaine, ecstasy, "ice", cannabis and ketamine.

One of those arrested was Briton Nigel Bruce Simmonds, 35, editor of high-society magazine Singapore Tatler, which chronicles the lives, parties and expensive hobbies of the city-state's rich and famous.

The drug busts made front-page news in Singapore, which has one of the lowest crime rates in Asia and where the government takes an especially hard line on drugs.

On Wednesday, Singapore's highest court upheld a death sentence handed to an Australian, Nguyen Tuong Van, convicted of trafficking in heroin. Only a presidential pardon can now save him from being hanged.
                                                      Home