The National Narcotics Control Commission warns that drug related crimes in China are becoming increasingly violent. According to a report on the drug situation in 2015 released on Thursday, dealers are a rising threat to the public security.
Carrying a gun is a severe breach of law in China, but to some drug traffickers, it's just one more offense.
China's anti-drug authorities warn that the drug-related crimes cracked last year indicate that drug dealers are becoming increasingly armed, organized and violent.
Latest figures released in the 2015 China Drug Situation Report unveiled just the tip of the iceberg as to how drugs and guns are going hand in hand .
"In 2015, Chinese police targeted and cracked 257 major cases of drug related crimes involving guns, up by a significant 52 percent compared to 2014. Over 460 guns and 30,000 bullets were confiscated, up by 40 percent and 843 percent respectively," Liu Yueijin, vice commissioner of China National Narcotics Contrl Commission, said.
Authorities say around 90 percent of heroin and ice are smuggled by heavily armed drug dealers from what's called the "Golden Triangle", one of the world's biggest drug planting regions.
We visited that region in 2015, and found that conflict between Myanmar's government and rebel forces is causing a resurgence in drug planting and trafficking. The complicated landscape makes patrolling difficult and dangerous.
"To deal with drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle, China is taking the lead in carrying out joint patrols and crackdown campaigns with bordering countries against drug gangs. The operations have achieved some positive results," Liu said.
But the threat is not just from the outside. The report says over 77 percent of drugs confiscated in 2015 were produced and traded within Chinese borders.
Most of the drug dealers were from marginalized groups such as poor farmers and the unemployed, but an alarming trend is the involvement of urban residents, students, and even civil servants.
"In 2015, a total of 165,000 drug crimes were uncovered in China, up by 13 percent. 194,000 suspects have been arrested, up by 15 percent, and a total of over 100 tons of drugs have been seized, up by nearly 50 percent," Liu said.
The spokesperson says these numbers are not just figures, but are stories of people suffering under drug addiction, families torn apart, and public security under threat. According to this report, in 2015, China's drug situation is still controllable, and that in 2016, the government will continue the tough crackdown.
