Supreme court vows crackdown amid soaring drug crimes

BEIJING, June 24? -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Wednesday promised "precise and effective" management of drug cases and closer cooperation with law enforcement organs.

Gao Guijun, a senior SPC judge, noted that more people from increasingly varied social backgrounds were becoming drug users, indicating "a fast growing drug market and a grave level of drug abuse."

According to Gao, drug crimes have risen by 15 percent on average annually between 2007 and 2014, and the number of suspects convicted soared to nearly 100,000 last year from 43,360 in 2007.

China had 2.955 million registered drug users by the end of 2014, although the actual total might top 10 million.

"Such a gigantic market is a key factor behind the skyrocketing drug crimes," Gao said. "Cases in the past were more frequently seen in border and coastal areas, but last year, practically every province had drug crimes."

According to Gao, drug use often leads to other crimes, and such cases, including drug-induced violence, homicide and road accidents, severely harmed society.

Previously, the SPC mapped out a series of regulations on the handling of drug cases, including sentencing criteria for cases related to specific types of drugs.

While regularly making publicizing cases to strengthen public awareness, the SPC is also cooperating with organs including the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security to combat the sale of drugs online.

"More efforts will be made to regulate [and empower] people's courts to hand out effective and precise sentences for drug crimes. They will play a bigger role in the prevention and control of drugs," Gao said.