Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jul 2003
Source: China Daily (China)
Page 2, Hong Kong Edition
Contact:   http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/911
Author: Jiang Zhuqing
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

NARCOTICS STING NABS TWO RUSSIAN DEALERS

Narcotics control police in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province teamed 
up with Russian authorities to crack down on a cross-border 
drug-trafficking ring and arrested two Russian suspects.

On April 28, local police in the city of Suifenhe seized two Russian 
suspects who were processing marijuana, and authorities in turn confiscated 
1.6 kilograms of drugs, 20 kilograms of marijuana leaves and some 
processing equipment at the site, said Cui Cunde, head of the Heilongjiang 
Public Security Department's anti-drug brigade.

"This was a successful team effort under the bilateral anti-drug mechanism 
between Chinese and Russian police," Cui said.

"As well, it's the first case that has involved Russian citizens committing 
drug-related crimes in China."

After interrogation, the suspects confessed that they had entered 
Heilongjiang Province by train and that a third Russian party was used to 
transport the drugs back across the border.

At the same time, police also recovered a notebook from the suspects which 
listed hundreds of Russian addresses, according to a Russian anti-drug 
official. The Russian police hope to find more clues to other possible 
suspects involved with the case.

These moves demonstrate good co-operation between Chinese and Russian 
police, Cui said.

"It will help prevent the eastern part of the Russian-Sino border from 
becoming a major drug-trafficking passage," he said.

In June 2002, the Heilongjiang Public Security Department signed agreements 
with three states and one district in Russia to fight against cross-border 
drug-trafficking crimes, officials said.

According to the agreements, authorities in the two nations will exchange 
information pertaining to narcotics cases, co-operate in the apprehension 
of suspected traffickers and conduct inspections along frontier areas, 
officials said.
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