Yesterday, the police ministry announced the arrest of 12 people
and seizure of 42 kilograms of methamphetamine on Sunday after an
inter-provincial investigation that had been running since
April.
The arrested include suspected gang leader Liu Feng and three
people from Myanmar who he allegedly employed to produce the
illicit drug, the Ministry of Public Security said in a news
release.
Police also seized 12.5 tons of raw materials used to make
methamphetamine, also known as "ice," and three vehicles used by
the gang.
On April 20, police in east China's Anhui?Province
received information of an ice production plant in Fuyang.
Investigations indicated that 39-year-old Liu, from Pingdingshan
in the central province of Henan,
had connections with drug barons in Kuogun, Myanmar.
He is said to have employed foreigners, bought material and
equipment from the Inner
Mongolia?Autonomous Region?and Shanghai, and was
producing ice in a house located in Zhaowu Village in Fuyang.
On June 2, police confirmed that the plant was producing ice and
the narcotics control bureau swung into action.
At about 3 AM on Sunday, police caught Liu red-handed on the
border between central China's Hubei
and Hunan
provinces carrying 17.5 kilograms of pink-colored methamphetamine
pills.
Later, police in Henan caught three suspected accomplices at a
toll gate on the Zhengzhou section of the Beijing-Zhuhai
expressway.
Simultaneously, police raided the production plant in Fuyang,
arresting the three from Myanmar and four other gang members, and
seizing another 24.5 kilograms of ice.
Early on Monday, the drugs were sent to Zhuhai, in south China's
Guangdong?Province
as part of a sting operation. Shenzhen resident Yue Dongsheng, who
was about to buy the drugs, was captured.
Further information is being sought about the arrested Myanmar
nationals.
(China Daily June 8, 2005)