Chinese police have smashed 434 drug gangs, investigated 7,650 drug-related cases, arrested 7,486 suspects, seized 1,943 kilograms of illegal drugs, and retrieved 39.0 million yuan (US$4.7 million) in illegal money since May 1.

"It marks an initial victory in our five-month crackdown on drug trafficking, which will end in September," said Li Yuanzheng, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Security's narcotics department, on Monday.

The ministry announced on April 9 that it would launch a nationwide crackdown on drug rings and their trafficking networks and retrieve money involved in drug deals.

The narcotics trade in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the most important path through which drugs from the infamous Golden Triangle are smuggled into China, was listed as the chief target of the campaign.

The ministry reported that local Yunnan police seized 102 kilograms of "ice," or methamphetamine, on May 7.

On May 10, policemen in Shenzhen city and Shanghai municipality worked together on a drug mailing case that resulted in four arrests and the seizure of just under one kilogram of "ice" destined for Australia.

After four months of surveillance and investigation, police in Guangzhou city, busted a crime ring producing and selling ecstasy pills on June 2. They demolished the factory, seized 588,500 pills, and retrieved 300,000 yuan (US$36,276) and three cars worth of ill-gotten gains.

Zhejiang and Hainan provinces have both strengthened supervision over public places of entertainment to curb the drug deals that were rampant there.

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2004)