Chinese and Philippine police have uncovered a large
international drug producing and trafficking case, seizing one ton
of ephedrine and 350 kilograms of crystallized methamphetamine
(commonly known as "ice").
Fifteen suspects have been captured in China and five caught in
the Philippines, Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the anti-narcotics
bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said at a press
conference in Beijing today.
Police have also seized nearly 10,000 cases of chemicals and
many equipments in a drug plant covering 3,000 square meters in the
Philippines, Liu said.
He said that police in southeast China's coastal province of Fujian began to investigate a drug smuggling
case involving the Philippines in July. In September, police of the
two countries set up a joint detective team to track down a major
drug smuggler Shao Chuntian, who was wanted by police in China and
several Southeastern Asian countries.
In November, police found that Shao had smuggled one ton of
ephedrine to China and set up a plant in the Philippines to produce
"ice."
On December 19, Philippine police captured three Chinese
suspects at the Manila airport and two Philippine suspects in the
plant. At the same time, Chinese police seized Shao and another 14
Chinese suspects in Quanzhou City of Fujian Province.
Chinese police have stepped up efforts to crack down on
drug-related crimes with more than 36,400 cases brought to light
and 45,100 suspects caught in the first 11 months of this year,
according to Liu.
Police seized 4.79 tons of heroin, 1.52 tons of opium, 4.9 tons
of "ice," 329,000 tablets of ecstasy, 1.5 tons of ketamine and
267.5 tons of chemicals used to produce drugs from January to
November.
"We have been successful in this year's fight against
drug-related crimes," said Liu.
"China has invested 110 million yuan (US$14.1 million) in 2006
to improve the anti-drug system in police, border, railway,
aviation, customs and postal departments across the country," Liu
said.
During the anti-drug campaign, Chinese police focused on major
international drug dealers and compiled a blacklist of 85 drug
kingpins.
"Cooperation from authorities in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, the
Philippines and other countries helped us catch 50 major drug
smugglers on the blacklist over the past two years," said Liu.
In 2006, Chinese police uncovered five international drug
trafficking cases, seizing 550 kilograms of "ice," 1.5 tons of
semi-manufactured "ice" products and 1 million tablets of ecstasy,
and closed down three "ice" producing plants, according to Liu.
He said that trafficking of heroin, the traditional drug on
China's market, had been largely brought under control, while "ice"
and some new drugs began to fill the gap.
"We'll closely follow the new trend and change our focus," Liu
said.
The "Golden Triangle" in the northern region of Myanmar is still
the main source of drugs and poses the biggest menace to China. In
addition, there is a growing threat of drug trafficking from the
"Golden Crescent" region of Central Asia, especially Afghanistan,
he noted.
To fight against drug trafficking from the "Golden Crescent"
region, China has beefed up border and airport checks in Xinjiang, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.
Thirty-one drug smuggling cases from the "Golden Crescent"
region were uncovered in the first 11 months of 2006, with 84
suspects and 84.56 kilograms of heroin seized, Liu said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)