Beijing police have broken a major drug production and trafficking ring, arresting 13 suspects and seizing more than 100 kg of narcotics, two handguns and a good sum of money.
This was the largest drug case cracked in the Chinese capital since the founding of new China in 1949, a police spokesperson announced Wednesday.
The drugs seized included over 100 kg of ketamine and 1.1 kg of deoxidized ephedrine, better known by its popular name of "ice", said the spokesperson. Police also seized 1.6 million yuan (US$200, 000) and 10 million Japanese yen (US$84,000).
Police believed that the gang was headed by Cao Yongjiang, a resident of northeast China, and its activities were mainly conducted in Beijing, Shanxi province in north China and coastal Guangdong province in south China.
Most of the suspects were apprehended in Beijing in late March and the Ministry of Public Security had congratulated Beijing police on this major success, the spokesperson said.
( China Daily August 8, 2002)
