Chemist on trial over prohibited substance

An associate professor of chemistry and three others stood trial on Monday at Wuhan Intermediate People's Court in Hubei province on a charge of manufacturing and smuggling strictly-controlled psychotropic drugs.

The professor, surnamed Zhang, who taught at a renowned university in Wuhan, allegedly started a drug company with his friend to manufacture psychotropic drugs, according to a report by Chutian Metropolis Daily.

The drugs were exported mainly to Europe and the United States, and brought in monthly revenue of about $600,000, it said.

Zhang and the other three, arrested last year, are facing charges of manufacturing and smuggling prohibited drugs after the contraband was intercepted by Wuhan Customs at Tianhe airport in 2014.

The prohibited drugs smuggled by the four amounted to 31.9 kg, the paper reported.

Founded in 2005, Zhang's company began to manufacture psychotropic drugs and develop new forms of drugs, notably methylone, a strong stimulant that can cause delusions, nose bleeds, nausea, skin rashes, anxiety or even death, experts said.

It has been included on China's list of strictly-controlled psychotropic drugs, but tempted by huge profit margins, the group continued to illegally manufacture and smuggle the drug.

The raw materials were obtained through irregular channels and they faked the name of the goods to pass customs inspection. The four have admitted their crimes.

The verdict has yet to be announced.