China and three other countries with territory in the Greater Mekong subregion arrested more than 10,000 suspected drug traffickers and seized 100 million methamphetamine pills during joint operations last year, according to a statement by the Public Security Ministry issued on Tuesday.

Officers also impounded half a metric ton of meth crystals, 1.3 metric tons of heroin and nearly 300 metric tons of precursor chemical materials used in the manufacture of drugs.

The coordinated action resulted in charges connected to around 9,000 drug crimes.

The operations took place over a two-month period that started Jan 12 last year, according to the statement about international cooperation in the fight against drug crime.

The ministry said the crackdown on transnational drug crime involved China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand and followed on from other collaborative efforts, with the first such joint operation carried out in 2013.

Last year's major crackdown was aimed at curbing the rise in drug crime in the Mekong River region.

The Chinese government has also stepped up efforts along with the governments of Laos and Myanmar, and provided technological and financial aid in the planting of regular crops in areas that had been planted with opium poppies.

China has also been working closely with Vietnam. That cooperation led to the seizure of nearly 4,000 kilograms of illicit drugs last year.

The National Narcotics Control Commission said on Monday that China has captured more than 100 overseas drug kingpins through its cooperation with other countries and international organizations since 1998.

The commission said in a statement that China has worked with countries including the United States, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Myanmar on uncovering trafficking operations in recent years.

China also cooperates with more than 50 countries in conducting export and import checks on precursor chemicals.

Since 2005, China has seized more than 23,000 metric tons of precursor chemicals and prevented 20,500 tons of precursor chemicals from being exported to other countries, the commission said.

Liu Yejing, deputy head of the commission, said China listed 116 additional types of new psychoactive substances, the third generation of drugs, as controlled substances last year, which set a good example in abiding by UN conventions against drugs.

Contact the writers at zhang_yi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/20/2016 page5)