BEIJING, Sept 23 (Reuters) – China has issued a set of guidelines for handling criminal cases involving fentanyl-related substances to ensure proper law enforcement, according to its judicial and public security authorities.
The guidelines come a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet United States President Donald Trump in Washington for their second summit this year.
The Trump administration has repeatedly urged Beijing to do more to stem the flow of precursor chemicals for synthesising the deadly opioid fentanyl into the US.
The guidelines aim to clarify the quantitative criteria for conviction and sentencing, and divides the substances into medicinal and non-pharmaceutical categories, a joint statement by China’s Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate and Ministry of Public Security showed.
Authorities will investigate acts of smuggling, trafficking, transportation, manufacturing, and illegal possession as well as the use of the Internet to commit related crimes.
China on Tuesday also added two chemicals to its export control list for drug precursor chemicals, requiring permits for exports to the US, Mexico and Canada.
(Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Kim Coghill)
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