Chinese police have detained two people from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on charges of drug dealing in the eastern city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.

A 36-year-old ROK man, surnamed Kim from Pusan, were alleged to have sold methamphetamine, commonly known as "ice" drug, together with his girlfriend on several occasions from early this year to late April in Qingdao where they lived, said Liu Changjie, director of Drug Control Section with the Shandong Provincial Department of Public Security.

Kim had admitted that the drugs were bought abroad, and carried to northeast China's Liaoning Province and then Qingdao, Liu said.

Kim and his girlfriend were arrested by local police on April 29 when they were suspected of dealing drugs with a Chinese suspect surnamed Li, Liu said.

More than 5,300 grams of methamphetamine, two vehicles and 100,000 yuan in cash (14,286 US dollars) were seized, he said.

Another Chinese suspect surnamed Wang was later arrested at a hotel in Qingdao, Liu said.

Five Chinese people were arrested in the alleged cross-border drug dealing case, he said. But Liu did not identify the other three suspects and where they were caught.

The case was still being investigated, he said.

The seaside city of Qingdao is the venue of the sailing competition of the 29th Olympic Games in August.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2008)