Office of National Narcotics Control Commission

June, 2024

Foreword

In 2023, China's drug control authorities actively responded to the post-COVID-19 changes in drug situation, further carried out the strategy of "addressing the root causes of drug demand and supply", vigorously tackled prominent drug issues, and fully mitigated the risk of a resurgence in drug problems, resulting in significant achievements. Nationwide, a total of 42,000 drug-related criminal cases were solved, 65,000 suspects were captured, and 25.9 tons of various drugs were seized, representing year-on-year increases of 12.6%, 21%, and 18%, respectively. Overall, after three years of epidemic, China's drug situation showed a steady and gradual resurgence. Under continued crackdowns, there was no significant retaliatory rebound, and the drug situation was far less severe than the pre-epidemic level, generally controllable and stabilized.

Affected by the combined impact of economic downturns and regional turmoil, the international drug situation has undergone profound and complex changes. Global drug issues continue to proliferate, the number of drug users keeps rising, drug production remains high, and drug smuggling and trafficking are intensifying. The drug problems in major drug-producing areas such as the "Golden Triangle", "Golden Crescent" and "Silver Triangle" have further deteriorated. The international community's disputes over drug control policies have become more complex, and global drug governance faces more risks and challenges. Amid the intertwining effects of multiple international and domestic factors, particularly as the suppressive impact of stringent COVID-19 control measures on drug problems gradually fades, China's drug control situation remains complex and severe.

I. Drug Abuse

In 2023, thanks to extensive drug prevention education, continuous implementation of the "Care for Drug Users" campaign and strengthening of rehabilitation and support for drug users, the scale of drug abuse has continued to decrease in China. However, the abuse of new types of drugs and substitute substances continued to spread, with the variety of abused substances evolving rapidly, making the drug abuse situation still severe and complex.

-- Continued Decline in Drug Abuse Scale. By the end of 2023, there were 896,000 current registered drug users in China, a year-on-year decrease of 20.3%, accounting for 0.064% of the total population. There were 4.078 million individuals who had not been found experiencing relapse after 3 years of abstinence, an increase of 7.6% year-on-year. A total of 195,000 instances of drug use were dealt with throughout the year, a decrease of 1.1% year-on-year.

-- Decrease in Abuse of Mainstream Drugs. Among the current registered drug users, there were 305,000 heroin users, 455,000 methamphetamine users, and 30,000 ketamine users, representing year-on-year decreases of 26.7%, 22.6%, and 6.3%, respectively. According to the results of the national wastewater drug monitoring by the National Narcotics Laboratory, the consumption of mainstream drugs such as methamphetamine and ketamine is on the decline, and no significant scale of fentanyl abuse has been detected so far.

-- Prominent Use of Substitute substances. The prices of mainstream drugs like heroin and methamphetamine have remained high after the pandemic, prompting drug users to turn to more accessible, cheaper, and similarly effective addictive substances, such as narcotic and psychotropic medications. Among these, the misuse of etomidate is particularly notable. On 1 October 2023, the Chinese government officially placed etomidate under control, and in the fourth quarter, 29,000 instances of etomidate misuse were dealt with, with 21,000 new etomidate users identified. Additionally, drug users seeking alternatives such as dextromethorphan and compound diphenoxylate, which were non-scheduled addictive substances, also presented a significant issue.

II. Drug Sources

The most significant characteristic of China's current drug supply structure is that most drugs originate from abroad, with a small portion coming from domestic drug production channels. In 2023, the quantity of drugs infiltrating from abroad increased sharply, with 20.5 tons of such drugs seized, up 84.7% year-on-year, accounting for 79.2% of the total annual drug seizures. Although domestic drug production activities showed signs of resurgence, they remained small in scale and output, continuing to decline in their share of the drug consumption market.

(A) Infiltration of Drugs from Overseas

-- Opioids and Methamphetamine Mainly from the "Golden Triangle". Throughout the year, 14.4 tons of methamphetamine (in crystal and tablet forms), 1.6 tons of heroin, and 1.4 tons of opium were seized, with year-on-year increases of 58.1%, 21.3%, and 21.6%, respectively. Of these, 12.3 tons, 1.5 tons, and 1.4 tons, respectively, originated from the "Golden Triangle", showing year-on-year increases of 46.4%, 16.6%, and 24.3%, accounting for 85.3%, 95%, and 99% of the total seizures of these types of drugs nationwide. Additionally, 0.8 tons of methamphetamine from Mexico were seized, a 24-fold increase year-on-year, with small amounts of methamphetamine and heroin also coming from some European and American countries.

-- Significant Smuggling of Ketamine and Cocaine. In 2023, 2.6 tons of cocaine from South America were seized, a year-on-year increase of 13.5 times, while 0.7 tons of ketamine were seized, a year-on-year decrease of 43.4%, mostly originating from the Gulf of Thailand in Southeast Asia. These drugs were primarily smuggled into China's southeastern coastal regions through international logistics channels or by having foreign drug lords remotely instruct domestic criminals to rent ships, which then rendezvoused with drug-carrying vessels on the high seas and transported the drugs to China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Taiwan province, Australia, New Zealand, and other locations.

-- Cannabis Mostly Originated from Thailand. Over the year, 78 cases involving the smuggling of cannabis into China from overseas were solved, with 120.1 kilograms of cannabis seized. Of these, 30 cases were sourced from Thailand, involving 105.3 kilograms of cannabis, and 17 cases were sourced from the United States, involving 3.6 kilograms of cannabis. Foreign cannabis mainly enters China through large-scale international logistics smuggling or through international express deliveries in small, dispersed, and frequent shipments.

-- Small Quantities of Narcotic Drugs and New Psychoactive Substances Infiltrating via International Mail. Small quantities of narcotic drugs such as triazolam, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), and LSD, as well as new psychoactive substances like synthetic cannabinoids, originated from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe, mainly infiltrating through international mail parcels.

(B) Domestic Sources of Drugs

-- Resurgence of Drug Production in some areas. Through continuously carrying out targeted operations against drug manufacturing, strengthening the control of key elements in drug production, and comprehensively cracking down on the entire drug production chain, large-scale drug production activities have been effectively curbed in China. However, due to the increased demand for drugs, supply shortages, and high prices post-pandemic, drug production crimes have shown resurgence in some areas. Throughout the year, drug production activities were detected in 27 provinces, with 210 drug production cases solved, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%, and 622 kilograms of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine seized, a year-on-year decrease of 5.2%. Current drug production activities are mainly characterized by remote and concealed processing and segmented synthesis.

-- Continued Suppression of Diversion of Precursor Chemicals. Special operations targeting precursor chemicals were carried out and comprehensive efforts to control and intercept such substances have been strengthened. Throughout the year, 274 criminal cases involving precursor chemicals were solved, a year-on-year decrease of 4.5%, with 938.5 tons of various precursor chemicals (including chemicals scheduled for export to specific countries) seized, a year-on-year increase of 42.2%. The quantity of precursor chemicals intercepted has increased, and the diversion into drug production channels has continued to decrease. Post-pandemic, the demand for raw materials and chemicals for domestic and international drug production activities remains high, with criminals continually improving drug production processes and seeking more varieties of non-scheduled chemicals as raw materials, posing significant challenges in reducing the diversion of non-scheduled chemical.

III. Drug Trafficking

After the pandemic, border control measures were lifted, various social activities gradually resumed, and cross-border and inter-regional movements of people, vehicles, and logistics increased, leading to a resurgence in drug smuggling and trafficking activities in China. Through the continued intensification of special operations such as "Clear Border", "Hunting Drug Lords" and others aiming at addressing the root causes of drug demand and drugsupply, drug smuggling and trafficking activities have been effectively curbed. Throughout the year, 32,000 drug smuggling and trafficking cases were solved, 56,000 suspects were captured, and 14.6 tons of drugs were seized, with year-on-year increases of 18.5%, 36.5%, and 43.1%, respectively. 

-- Increase in Drug Seizures via Land, Sea, and Mail Routes. Over the year, 24,000 drug trafficking cases via land routes were solved, with 8.9 tons of drugs seized, up 24% and 26% year-on-year, respectively; 32 cases via sea routes were solved, with 3.3 tons of drugs seized, up 220% and 200% year-on-year respectively; and 2,000 cases via mail routes were solved, with 2.1 tons of drugs seized, while the number of cases remaining flat and the amount of drugs seized up 40% year-on-year.

-- Surge in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Cases. There has been an increase in large-scale smuggling and trafficking of foreign drugs into China, with a significant rise in the amount of drugs seized per case. The problems of concealing drugs in large trucks, international logistics containers, and maritime trafficking were particularly prominent. Throughout the year, 634 cases involving over a kilogram of drugs were solved, up 20.1% year-on-year, with 14.1 tons of drugs seized, up 53.3% year-on-year, accounting for 96.6% of the total drugs seized in smuggling and trafficking cases; the average amount of drugs seized per case was 22.2 kilograms, up 27.6% year-on-year. 

-- Increase in Cross-Border and Inter-Regional Drug Trafficking. With the resumption of various social activities post-pandemic, previously restricted cross-border and inter-regional smuggling and drug trafficking activities have resurged, with foreign nationals and domestic migrant populations becoming increasingly active in drug trafficking. Throughout the year, 152 foreign drug trafficking suspects were captured, up 7.8% year-on-year, including 64 Myanmar nationals and 44 Vietnamese nationals; 8,611 domestic migrant drug trafficking suspects were captured, up 30% year-on-year.

-- More Covert Online Drug Trafficking Methods. Throughout the year, 3,098 internet-related drug trafficking cases were solved, up 14% year-on-year. The development of internet technology has continuously spawned new ways of connecting, trading models, and payment methods. Using foreign social media platforms such as Telegram, drug-related chat groups are established, and intermediaries guaranteed transactions are emerging as a novel model for drug deal. Payments are mostly made with Bitcoin, Tether, or other cryptocurrencies, making fund flows harder to trace. Drug deliveries are mostly done through non-contact methods such as hiding packages in advance, mail delivery, and instant delivery, further enhancing the covertness of drug trafficking activities and increasing the difficulty of detection and enforcement.

-- Fluctuations in Drug Prices. Due to continuous stringent crackdowns, the market supply of heroin and crystal meth in China has decreased, with national retail prices continuing to rise, reaching 1,465 yuan/gram and 1,615 yuan/gram, up 16% and 33% year-on-year, respectively. The market supply of methamphetamine tablets and cannabis has increased, with national retail prices dropping to 1,879 yuan/gram and 334 yuan/gram, down 14.5% and 23% year-on-year, respectively.

Afterword

Influenced by the worsening global drug problem, China is gradually entering a period marked by a rebound in drug-related crime and rapid changes in new types of drugs, so consolidation and expansion of governance achievements is needed. In the present and foreseeable future, various predictable and unpredictable drug-related risk factors, such as increased infiltration of foreign drugs, intensified collusion between domestic and international drug trafficking groups, and accelerated changes in drug trafficking methods, are significantly increasing. The drug control authorities in China will closely monitor the risks and vulnerabilities revealed by the evolving drug situation, continue to promote special crackdowns and rectification actions, focus on addressing prominent drug issues, comprehensively deepen drug control measures, tighten defense against drug-related risks, resolutely curb the rebound of the drug problem, and advance the anti-drug campaign, striving to promote the high-quality development of drug control efforts, and contribute to the construction of a strong and rejuvenated nation through Chinese-style modernization.