Number of narcotics criminal cases in China drops steadily over past decade: top court

BEIJING -- The number of narcotics-related criminal cases in China has steadily declined over the past decade, China's Supreme People's Court said Monday.

A total of 9,343 narcotics-related cases were concluded in courts across China in the first five months of 2025, the SPC announced, adding that it is nearly 30 percent lower than data from the same period last year.

The data also revealed that Chinese courts had concluded 35,859 first-instance narcotics cases in 2024. Of the 49,177 persons who received penalties, 8,332 were given penalties heavier than imprisonment of five years.

The court noted that new types of narcotics-related criminal cases, particularly those involving minors, are becoming prominent. It also released information on Monday detailing 10 typical such cases.

The court vowed to continue delivering law-based and harsh punishment to narcotics criminals, and bolster the efficiency of this comprehensive crackdown on narcotics.