Jia Chunwang, minister of public security, announced that ministries and departments - such as the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People's Court, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of the Judiciary, which are members of the National Narcotic Control Commission (NNCC) - should work hand in hand to spearhead the anti-drug campaign.

Anti-drug efforts last year were a considerable success, said NNCC Vice-Director Bai Jingfu.

Police forces tackled 110,000 drug cases and caught 73,000 suspected drug traffickers last year. They seized 13.2 tons of heroin, 2.8 tons of opium, 4.8 tons of "ice," 208.2 tons of chemicals for making drugs and 2.07 million ecstasy tablets.

Anti-drug departments have also stepped up their inspections of eight major chemical materials for making drugs and have successfully stopped the export of 1,352 tons of such materials, Bai added.

International co-operation on fighting drug trafficking was expanded between China and its neighbors such as Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam by signing memoranda and reaching a consensus on how to tackle the problem.

The drug situation in China remains severe due to widespread drug abuse and the emergence of new drugs in big cities, said officials at the meeting.

Statistics revealed that the plantation area of opium poppies in the "Golden Triangle," which is adjacent to China's southwestern regions, exceeded 93,300 hectares last year with an estimated opium production of 1,800 tons.

The potential threat of drugs coming from the "Golden Crescent" area also swelled in recent years.

The number of areas where drugs are available and people are in contact with them has also increased quickly, according to the vice-director. Between January and October last year, there were 901,000 registered drug addicts in 2,051 cities, counties and districts around the nation.

Surprise swoops on entertainment centers will be carried out to deal with the trafficking of ecstasy and other drugs and to destroy underground drug markets and hideouts, said Bai. Last year, the police destroyed 44 "ice" and ''ecstasy factories and illegal drug hideouts.

The forthcoming campaign will feature coercive measures, including compulsory abstinence from drugs and re-education through labor, to rehabilitate drug addicts, he said.

All drug control agencies across China and all departments concerned will continue their anti-drug fight against drug production, smuggling and trafficking and other crimes related to opium, heroin, ice and other drugs.

(China Daily February 1, 2002)