Yesterday, the police ministry announced the arrest of 12 people and seizure of 42 kilograms of methamphetamine on Sunday after an inter-provincial investigation that had been running since April.

The arrested include suspected gang leader Liu Feng and three people from Myanmar who he allegedly employed to produce the illicit drug, the Ministry of Public Security said in a news release.

Police also seized 12.5 tons of raw materials used to make methamphetamine, also known as "ice," and three vehicles used by the gang.

On April 20, police in east China's Anhui?Province received information of an ice production plant in Fuyang.

Investigations indicated that 39-year-old Liu, from Pingdingshan in the central province of Henan, had connections with drug barons in Kuogun, Myanmar.

He is said to have employed foreigners, bought material and equipment from the Inner Mongolia?Autonomous Region?and Shanghai, and was producing ice in a house located in Zhaowu Village in Fuyang.

On June 2, police confirmed that the plant was producing ice and the narcotics control bureau swung into action.

At about 3 AM on Sunday, police caught Liu red-handed on the border between central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces carrying 17.5 kilograms of pink-colored methamphetamine pills.

Later, police in Henan caught three suspected accomplices at a toll gate on the Zhengzhou section of the Beijing-Zhuhai expressway.

Simultaneously, police raided the production plant in Fuyang, arresting the three from Myanmar and four other gang members, and seizing another 24.5 kilograms of ice.

Early on Monday, the drugs were sent to Zhuhai, in south China's Guangdong?Province as part of a sting operation. Shenzhen resident Yue Dongsheng, who was about to buy the drugs, was captured.

Further information is being sought about the arrested Myanmar nationals.

(China Daily June 8, 2005)