China intensifies crackdown on cross-border drug-related crimes, releases cases

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have intensified their crackdown on cross-border drug-related crimes, including smuggling and trafficking of drug-making precursor chemicals and new psychoactive substances, solving 29 criminal cases and arresting 157 suspects since 2025.

They have also seized 720 kilograms of drugs, 1.3 tonnes of new psychoactive substances, 0.9 kilograms of stimulants and 27.7 tonnes of non-scheduled precursor chemicals, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on Friday.

China's national narcotics control authority has repeatedly issued notices warning of the legal risks of selling drug-making precursor chemicals and new psychoactive substances overseas.

However, despite such warnings, some illicit traders have still trafficked controlled and non-scheduled precursor chemicals and new psychoactive substances to overseas markets, gradually forming illicit or gray-market supply chains in the chemical sector, the ministry said.

The MPS released details of 10 cases involving cross-border trade in such substances.

Several of the disclosed cases revealed that some suspects posted advertisements online to solicit orders from overseas clients, obtained or produced the chemicals domestically, and then smuggled them abroad.

China has issued arrest warrants for some of the suspects involved in these cases or taken criminal coercive measures against them. Others were sentenced in accordance with the law. The charges or suspected offences included smuggling, trafficking, transporting or manufacturing drugs, as well as illegal business operation, environmental pollution and fraud, according to the MPS.