8 foreigners busted in Beijing drugs raid

Photos of four foreign nationals suspected of drug use and trafficking in Beijing. [Photo/weibo.com]

BEIJING - Beijing police have detained eight foreign nationals on suspicion of drug use and trafficking, they announced on Friday.

Police confiscated 37.64 grams of drugs, including 4 grams of marijuana, 31.71 grams of methamphetamine and 1.93 grams of heroin, from three suspects who came from the United States, Sierra Leone and Mali, respectively.

The three have been arrested for drug trafficking or illegal possession of drugs.

The other five suspects, from New Zealand and the United States, have been detained for drug-taking and providing a venue for other drug users.

Six of the eight suspects tested positive for marijuana, and all of them confessed their offenses, according to police.

The arrests were made in the city's Chaoyang District in April after police received public tip-offs about drug abuse involving foreign nationals in an international school.

Drug trafficking is a felony in China. Those convicted of trafficking more than 50 grams of heroin can face capital punishment.