Chemist on trial over prohibited substance

An associate professor of chemistry and three others stood trial on Monday at Wuhan Intermediate People's Court in Hubei province on a charge of manufacturing and smuggling strictly-controlled psychotropic drugs.

The professor, surnamed Zhang, who taught at a renowned university in Wuhan, allegedly started a drug company with his friend to manufacture psychotropic drugs, according to a report by Chutian Metropolis Daily.

The drugs were exported mainly to Europe and the United States, and brought in monthly revenue of about $600,000, it said.