Harsher laws proposed for drug crimes

Uniform sentencing for traffickers urged to fight border smuggling

Considering the increasing number of drug smuggling cases and addicts in border areas, deputies to the National People's Congress have proposed stricter laws and a standard operation for sentencing suspects, especially in places such as Yunnan province and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Last year, the Yunnan High People's Procuratorate authorized approvals to arrest 7,853 suspects and filed suits against 7,530 drug dealers, according to the procuratorate's report released in January. During the local sessions of Yunnan in late January, Zhang Xuequn, president of Yunnan Higher People's Court, said courts in the province handled 5,188 cases involving drugs and sentenced more than 5,020 suspects.