Police arrested 56 people and seized one ton of cocaine in a transnational drug shipment case, according to a statement by the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department on June 19.
(Photo provided to GDToday)
Guangdong police conducted the raid on February 2, in collaboration with police from Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangxi, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), cutting off a maritime drug trafficking route from South America to the Hong Kong SAR. One replica shotgun and 12 bullets were seized, while two ships were impounded on site.
According to the statement, six suspects went to South America by boat in November 2022 to receive drugs. On their way back to the Hong Kong SAR about three months later, the police raided the crew on the sea while busting 43 members of the syndicate on land.
(Photo provided to GDToday)
Seven other suspects were supposed to meet the crew on the sea, but their fishing boat ran aground in Philippine waters due to a malfunction and was impounded by the local police. On April 6, 2023, the seven suspects were extradited to China, marking the completion of the transnational drug smuggling case.
(Photo provided to GDToday)
According to the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, whoever smuggles, traffics in, transports or manufactures narcotic drugs and falls under any of the following categories, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 15 years, life imprisonment or death and also to confiscation of property:
(1) persons who smuggle, traffic in, transport or manufacture opium of not less than 1,000 grams, heroin or methylaniline of not less than 50 grams or other narcotic drugs of large quantities;
(2) ringleaders of gangs engaged in smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing narcotic drugs;
(3) persons who shield with arms the smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing of narcotic drugs;
(4) persons who violently resist inspection, detention or arrest to a serious extent; or
(5) persons involved in organized international drug trafficking.
Reporter | Lydia Liu
Editor | Olivia, Nan, Steven, James
