Yunnan prosecutors intensify anti-drug efforts with specialized teams and big data supervision

Yunnan prosecutors have maintained a high-pressure crackdown on drug crimes, achieving a decline in newly identified drug users for seven consecutive years and a reduction in prosecutions for drug offenses over five years, according to Li Xiaohong, deputy chief prosecutor of the Yunnan Provincial People's Procuratorate. At a news conference, Li highlighted Yunnan's strategic importance in China's anti-drug campaign due to its extensive borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.

To address increasingly sophisticated drug crimes, Yunnan established China's first specialized drug case team at the provincial level. Prosecutors are actively involved in major cases, guiding evidence collection and reviewing facts.

Since 2025, they have supervised 30 drug-related cases, corrected 17 criminal omissions, and pursued 46 omitted offenders, all of whom were convicted.

Prosecutors focused on sentencing consistency and legal accuracy, employing big data to compare judgments and ensure uniform standards. Since 2025, protests were filed in 10 cases, with all prosecutorial opinions adopted. A notable case involved a man surnamed Fu, whose sentence was increased to death after an initial oversight of prior offenses.

Li emphasized the dual focus on punishment and governance, using case findings to improve sector-wide practices. Recommendations have been issued to enhance supervision over vulnerable areas like parcel delivery and public housing. Anti-drug education campaigns are conducted in multiple languages across the province, targeting border villages and schools to raise public awareness.