31,000 drug-related criminal cases cracked in 2021: official

BEIJING -- A total of 31,000 drug-related criminal cases have been solved so far in 2021, leading to the arrest of 43,000 suspects and seizure of 18.3 tonnes of narcotics, according to China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

Drug production activities within the country have been effectively curbed in recent years, said Liang Yun, head of the MPS' anti-narcotics bureau, adding that China's public security organs have been carrying out special anti-narcotics operations at border areas to prevent drug trafficking since 2018.

The MPS is also striving to prevent drug consumption among teenagers, and has set up a digital platform to promote awareness of substance abuse in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

To date, over 230,000 schools and 99.6 million students nationwide have registered on the platform, Liang said.

As of the end of 2020, China had seen a decline in the number of drug addicts for three consecutive years. Meanwhile, the number of addicts who underwent successful rehabilitation is on the rise, Liang added.