Two drug busts in Guangdong, seizing 100 kilograms of ketamine and 161,000 ecstasy pills, have landed a stunning blow on the province's narcotics trade.

Police raided a drug factory in a village in Tanxi Township, eastern Guangdong, on November 9.

The operation turned up 100 kilograms of ketamine, as well as raw materials and production equipment.

Five men were taken into custody, including two Hong Kong residents, the suspected 'godfathers' of the gang, said Yang Jianghua, director of Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Public Security's Drug Crime Investigation Department.

It is the first time Guangdong police have shut down a ketamine factory in the province, Yang told a press conference yesterday.

On November 10, police tackled another drugs factory in Zhaoqing, western Guangdong, seizing more than 161,000 ecstasy pills, two cars and 500,000 yuan (US$61,800) worth of cash. Five suspects were detained for further investigation.

"These two big drug cases in the space of two days show Guangdong police's determination and ability to fight drugs and related crimes," Yang said.

The police chief hinted that more operations will be launched against drug gangs in the coming months.

Yang said Guangdong would not become a haven for drug producers and traffickers.

The province, which borders Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, has made progress in its fight against drugs and related crimes, Yang said.

Since July, Guangdong police have dealt with 2,464 drug and drug related cases, detaining a total of 2,496 suspects. The figures represented an increase of 11.3 percent and 33 percent respectively compared with the same period last year.

Also since July, Guangdong police have seized 90.6 kilograms of heroin, 610.5 kilograms of "ice" methamphetamine, 702,000 ecstasy pills, 18.4 kilograms of marijuana and more than 4 tons of raw chemical materials used in drug production.

Eight ecstasy factories were closed down.

(China Daily November 18, 2005)