A Beijing court revealed on Wednesday that it has convicted 60 individuals for drug smuggling over the past decade, with 46 of them being sentenced to five years or more in prison.

From Jan 1, 2015, to Dec 31, 2024, the Beijing No 4 Intermediate People's Court concluded 56 cases of drug smuggling. Among the 46 criminals, 33 were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 10 to 15 years, while 11 received life imprisonment or even harsher penalties, according to Wang Yuntao, vice-president of the court.

He said that most criminals resorted to smuggling drugs into the country by concealing them within their bodies, such as hiding drugs in the soles of their shoes or private body parts.

"Some offenders even concealed drugs within modified equipment and devices, exploiting international logistics for smuggling them out of the country," he added.

"The rapid advancement of modern transportation, especially in international aviation and maritime shipping, has made drug smuggling even faster and more covert," he noted. "The process of globalization has not only accelerated the cross-border movement of people, goods, and information, but has also provided opportunities for drug smuggling, intensifying the transnational circulation of drugs."

He revealed that the types of drugs involved in these concluded cases are diverse. "In addition to traditional drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine, new types of drugs and novel psychoactive substances continue to emerge, with their proportion increasing year by year," he added.

While maintaining a high-pressure stance against drug smuggling, he said that the court has also intensified the effort to improve the quality and professionalism of relevant case handling.

"In the face of the complex situation with the continuous emergence of new types of drugs and novel psychoactive substances, for example, we organized judges to delve into relevant materials and conduct special seminars and case analysis meetings to analyze key points in evidence review and difficulties in determining sentencing in drug smuggling cases," he noted.

Meanwhile, judges also visited the anti-drug intelligence technology center of the Ministry of Public Security and the Beijing drug control technology center several times to seek advice on professional issues, and invited industrial experts to help deepen their understanding of cutting-edge knowledge related to drugs, according to him.

"Drug crimes have always been a serious criminal offense that poses a significant threat to the life and property safety of people. A small amount of drugs can destroy an individual's health, a family's happiness and the harmony of society," he emphasized.

To enhance the public awareness of drug control, he added that the court has also provided law education in schools, enterprises and communities, with the wide application of new media platforms to introduce the harm of drugs.