China, US cut off drug trafficking route

Narcotics control authorities from China and the United States recently cracked a cross-border drug smuggling and trafficking case, arresting five suspects and cutting off a transnational drug route, China's Ministry of Public Security said on Monday.

In early April, the ministry's Narcotics Control Bureau and the Drug Enforcement Administration of the US Department of Justice jointly handled the case, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

Coordinated operations were carried out in Liaoning and Guangdong provinces in China, as well as the states of Florida and Nevada in the US. Five suspects -two Chinese nationals and three US nationals — were arrested.

The ministry said that the operations successfully dismantled a drug smuggling and trafficking route spanning China and the US. It added that this marked another major result of practical cooperation between Chinese and US antidrug agencies, showcasing the two countries' joint commitment to tackling drug-related crimes.

The China-US antidrug cooperation has continued to advance in recent years through intelligence sharing, joint case handling, technical exchanges and tighter control of narcotics-related substances and chemicals.

On Jan 30, 2024, the two nations launched the China-US Counternarcotics Working Group in Beijing, identifying priority areas for cooperation. On July 31 the same year, a Chinese interdepartmental delegation visited the US for the first senior officials' meeting of the working group, helping to build mutual trust and advance practical cooperation. Since 2024, China's Narcotics Control Bureau has maintained routine hotline contact and regular exchanges with US antidrug agencies. The two sides have exchanged more than 100 intelligence leads.

Technical cooperation has also deepened. Since 2024, China and the US have held several meetings of antidrug technical experts and established a scientist exchange mechanism.

Experts from Chinese and US agencies have shared drug-testing experience and discussed ways to strengthen technical support for addressing the fentanyl issue.

In February, cross-departmental antidrug delegations from the two countries held the 11th China-US antidrug intelligence exchange meeting in the US. They discussed issues including the global and regional drug situation, removal of online illicit information, joint case handling, chemical control, and anti-money laundering efforts related to drug crimes.

Joint case handling has produced concrete results. In February 2025, Chinese antidrug authorities and the China Coast Guard, acting on tips from the DEA, seized more than 4,900 kilograms of methamphetamine and arrested seven suspects in waters near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea.

China has also strengthened control of narcotics-related substances and precursor chemicals. In July 2024, the nation placed 46 new psychoactive substances under control, while in September that year, it added seven chemicals, including three fentanyl precursors, to its controlled precursor chemicals list.

In November 2025, China adjusted its export management catalog for precursor chemicals to specific countries and regions, adding the US, Mexico and Canada to the list and placing 13 additional precursor chemicals under export controls for those destinations.