Beijing police vows to continue efforts against drug related crimes

Beijing police vowed to continue strengthening efforts against drug related crimes this year to guarantee the city's safety and keeping it in order, according to a statement by the capital's Public Security Bureau on Friday.

Police citywide made achievements in drug control in 2018, "but our force to fight the drug related offenses will not stop if drugs exist in the city," said Wang Weiji, a police officer in the bureau's Chaoyang branch.

Last year, police seized 71.71 kilograms of drugs last year, up 17.2 percent year-on-year, read the statement.

In addition, there were 1,118 offenders that were given sentences for drug related crimes, and of which 229 offenders received prison terms of five years or more. This is classified as "heavy punishment" under the Chinese Criminal Law.

"We cooperated with police in other regions to fight drug users and smugglers, forming a joint force against such offenses," Wang said.

In early November, police in Chaoyang district received a report that a large amount of drugs were being transported to Beijing from Sichuan province.

After an investigation, they locked down a suspect surnamed Jiang, 29, who was the ringleader of the drug sales group, and a clue later helped them find his three major companies in Sichuan.

Later that month, police in Beijing and Sichuan caught four suspects, and seized 1 kg of methamphetamine and ketamine.

The four suspects have since been accused of transporting or purchasing drugs by Beijing prosecutors.

Bi Bo, a police officer from the Haidian district, said offenders nowadays are more likely to sell or consume psychedelic medicine or new psychoactive substances that may bring more harm to people's health.

"We'll increase efforts in the fight against such substances to keep the city in order," he added.