According to incomplete government statistics, there were some 680 thousand registered drug users in China in 1999. New drug users have been found in some 48 counties (municipalities and districts). The total weight of all varieties of drugs seized by the anti-drug law enforcement agencies has reached 22.61 tons.

China is facing a grim situation in the anti-drug struggle. Bai Jingfu, vice director of the State Commission on Prohibition against Drugs and vice minister of the Public Security Ministry said today that last year law enforcement agencies cracked a total of 64 thousand criminal cases concerning drug smuggling, trafficking, transporting and producing, arresting 57 thousand criminal suspects across the country and seizing 5.3 tons of heroin and 16 tons of ice.

Bai pointed out that the country still faces a difficult struggle because of the influence exerted by drug activities abroad. Judging from the domestic situation, ice production and trafficking are rampant and have spread to the mainland. The quantity of ice seized in 1999 was ten times that in 1998.

Domestic drug use and trafficking are still serious and the market for drugs is expanding. In the last year the number of registered drug users has increased by 14%. Drug use and trafficking have caused serious harm to society.