The Nanjinger
More than 2 years after his successive smuggling of controlled substances from the USA into China and the subsequent sale thereof, the illegal actions of a man in Nanjing have finally caught up with him. The court now deliberates.
The suspect, a 25-year-old man surnamed Xie, has been indicted by the People’s Procuratorate of Qinhuai District in Nanjing for smuggling drugs such as marijuana, tobacco oil and marijuana chocolate from the United States on four occasions.
The defendant was furthermore accused of profiting to the tune of ¥12,100 from the sale of the drugs, by way of online chat payment, and even delivery by courier.
Xie, an employee of a Hunan-based sports company, was detained originally by the Qinhuai Branch of Nanjing’s Public Security Bureau on 23 October, 2020, on suspicion of drug trafficking. He was then released on bail on 22 November of the same year. It then took until almost 2 years later for the court to decide to obtain a guarantor pending trial, on 31 August, 2022.
Finally, full details of the wrongdoing have emerged to the public, with The Paper today publishing a complete breakdown of the shipments into China made by Xie, as well as information regarding those he sold them to. This is accompanied by the exact quantities thereof, as well as the amounts paid and received in respect to said shipments.
In particular, it appears that Xie was a fan of hemp chocolate. All in, he had managed to smuggle into China and sell a total of 206.19 grams of the popular, recreational snack.
On 27 September, 2020, Qinhuai Police were successful in intercepting a package sent to a man, surnamed Zhang, at the express courier station in the property management office of Fengguangli Phase II Residential Community off Daming Lu. Officers found it to contain 62.86 grams of hemp chocolate.
The Drug Control Detachment of Nanjing Public Security Bureau later confirmed that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was indeed detected in the items in said package.
As THC is the principal psycho-active ingredient in cannabis, Xie’s behaviour was found to have violated the first, fourth and seventh paragraphs of Article 347 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China.
The defendant has made no objection to the facts and evidence of his alleged crimes, has voluntarily pleaded guilty and is said to be accepting of all possible subsequent punishment. As such, it is thought that a certain amount of leniency may well be granted.
In the analysis, it’s a relatively small amount, but the indicting of Xie serves also as a reminder as to the seriousness with which China treats the smuggling and sale of controlled substances. The message is clear; no matter the amount, don’t even think about trying to make some easy money in such an illegal manner.
H/T: www.thenanjinger.com
