
The commission said drug trafficking is highly orchestrated by drug lords, and many gangs have formed loose coalitions that allow them to operate cross-border networks. Last year, more than 5,000 drug rings were busted and around 1,100 leading members were arrested.
In the wake of the rising number of drug crimes involving disabled and vulnerable people, law enforcement authorities have decided to adopt an "iron fist" approach to those who deliberately exploit legal protections and loopholes.
On April 20 last year, Tao Guangyu, a blind woman in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, was executed for drug trafficking. It was a rare case of the death penalty being pronounced on a disabled person in a drug case.
The 50-something, a well-known drug dealer in the city, had been apprehended twice before, but had managed to avoid jail by invoking the legal protection offered by her disability.
When she was caught a third time, Tao didn't tell her lawyer, Zhu Yuedong, that she already had two convictions. Instead, she asked him to apply for bail on her behalf.
When Zhu discovered the quantities of drugs Tao had sold, he knew she would receive the death sentence.
Tao's blindness was the result of an inherited condition that worsened progressively until she became almost completely blind in 2011. At that point she began using drugs and also organized family members to traffic narcotics.
She used her father, who is also blind, and her then-pregnant daughter to deliver drugs to buyers. They, along with Tao's brother and sister-in-law, were also jailed for their involvement.
According to the Nanjing Intermediate People's Court, which handed down Tao's death sentence, the number of drug cases has risen in recent years. The use of women as mules has become a prominent theme in drug cases tried at the court, whose statistics show that it tried 13 women for drug trafficking in 2013, but the number doubled in 2015.
Ruan Qilin, a professor of criminal law at the China University of Political Science and Law, said those who use disabled or vulnerable people in drug deals should face severe punishment to prevent the practice from becoming widespread.
He urged authorities to use community correction to supervise convicted traffickers who are unfit for prison so they will not become repeat offenders, and suggested vulnerable people should be allocated more social security benefits so they won't feel the need to make extra money through illegal activities.

![]() |
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses