Photo: Courtesy of Chinese Ministry of Public Security

During a recent operation, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies in Myanmar, successfully captured and extradited three fugitive drug traffickers in northern Myanmar who had been wanted for years, the Global Times learnt from the ministry on Thursday.

With the assistance of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, Zhang Anlong (male, 42 years old, from Yunmeng, Central China's Hubei Province), Ma Wenxiang (male, 37 years old, from Pu'er, Southwest China's Yunnan Province), and Yang Jinmei (female, 45 years old, from Lincang, Yunnan) were apprehended, the Ministry of Public Security announced in a statement sent to the Global Times.

On the evening of Wednesday, the three major drug trafficking fugitives handed over by Myanmar were successfully extradited back to China by Chinese public security authorities. This operation is another significant achievement in international law enforcement cooperation in the field of drug control between China and Myanmar, effectively implementing the consensus reached at the seventh China-Myanmar ministerial meeting on law enforcement and security cooperation.

Investigations revealed that Zhang, Ma and Yang were all key members of transnational drug trafficking networks who had been fugitives abroad for many years, smuggling and trafficking drugs into China on a large scale. They were involved in multiple major drug cases investigated by police in Central China's Hunan and Hubei, Southwest China's Yunnan, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and other provinces and regions, with the amount of drugs involved exceeding 2000 kilograms, according to the ministry's statement.

On December 28, 2023, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security organized relevant local public security authorities to publicly offer rewards for the arrest of Zhang and 10 other major drug trafficking fugitives after fully clarifying and obtaining evidence of their criminal activities. In July of this year, the anti-drug departments of China and Myanmar conducted international law enforcement cooperation, capturing Yang in Yangon, Myanmar on July 9 and Zhang and Ma in Lashio, Myanmar on July 13. 

As of now, six out of the 10 major drug trafficking fugitives wanted by public security authorities have been captured and brought to justice, the ministry stated.

Since 2020, public security authorities across China have been following the deployment requirements of the National Narcotics Control Commission and the Ministry of Public Security's "Clean Source and Cut off Flow" action plan. By conducting international law enforcement cooperation, they have been pursuing fugitives who have been hiding abroad, especially in northern Myanmar, and smuggling drugs into China. A large number of drug-related fugitives have been brought to justice, effectively deterring drug trafficking groups operating overseas. 

Public security authorities warn drug traffickers who are harboring illusions of fleeing abroad, especially those who are wanted for drug trafficking, to surrender themselves as soon as possible and return to China to seek leniency. Public security authorities have vowed to further strengthen international law enforcement cooperation, continue to pursue fugitives abroad, and spare no effort in capturing drug-related fugitives, decisively eradicating the "tumor" of drug-related crimes, and effectively safeguarding the lives, health, and property of the people. 

At the same time, the ministry called on the public to actively report and provide tipoffs, and maintain social peace and stability.