Police organs all over China cracked 52,500 drug trafficking cases from January 2005 to April 2006, according to sources from the Ministry of Public Security.

 

The ministry on Friday held a national meeting on furthering the war against drugs.

 

Sources from the meeting said from January 2005 to April 2006, the police organs busted 1,279 drug trafficking gangs, arrested 66,800 suspects, seized 7.2 tons of heroin, 2.994 tons of opium, 6.3 tons of methamphetamine hydrochloride, 2.74 tons of ketamine and 2.48 million Ecstasy pills.

 

"These results have terrified drug trafficking gangs both home and abroad," said the participants at the meeting.

 

The ministry has urged policemen working in different departments, such as rail, traffic, customs and border police, to make joint efforts in fighting drug trafficking and selling.

 

The ministry will launch a special campaign to curb drug use in entertainment venues and will seek new methods of rehabilitation for drug addicts.

 

The ministry will regularly release the results of different provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the war against drugs and will allocate special funds to reward citizens who provide important clues on drug trafficking, selling and drug use.

 

China had 785,000 drug addicts at the end of 2005, 89 percent of whom were addicted to heroin, according to the information released by the office of the National Narcotics Control Commission in June.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2006)