Chinese police have smashed allegedly the largest drug-making case in the country, seizing 85 people involved in the case, anti-drug authorities said on Wednesday.

Police busted five drug-making gangs and seized 85 suspects, and they smashed eight illegal drug processing factories, confiscating 44 tonnes of raw materials, 415 kg of ephedrine, 955 g of methamphetamine and 18.209 million yuan for making drugs, according to China's National Narcotics Control Commission (CNNCC) and the State Food and Drug Administration.

Police also confiscated 10 apartments, 21 vehicles, three pistols and 10 bullets illegally possessed by the suspects, the two governmental agencies told a meeting commending meritorious police officers and work units in solving the case.

A police spokesman said the case was solved early October.

The confiscated drugs and raw materials have been destroyed, said a source with the State Food and Drug Administration.