Chinese judicial authorities reported a significant decline in total drug cases. Supreme People’s Court official Liu Weibo announced the 2025 data Monday. However, the ongoing threat from new-type drugs is now rising sharply. Overall courts concluded 23,732 first-instance narcotics cases last year. This figure actually represents an eighty-three percent drop from 2015.
Consequently, annual caseloads have now returned to pre-2000 levels effectively. This continues a steady downward trend over the past decade. Simultaneously, a different and more complex pattern is emerging clearly. Cases involving novel synthetic substances surged initially then eased. Ultimately these new-type drugs show a volatile upward trajectory overall.
From 2023 through 2025, courts concluded 93,000 total drug cases. These proceedings involved 133,000 defendants with effective judgments. Notably, twenty percent received severe sentences exceeding five years. This rate surpasses the average for all criminal cases significantly. Traditional drugs like heroin are increasingly under control now.
Therefore, criminal networks are shifting their focus strategically. They now prioritize medical narcotics and new psychoactive substances. Approximately 4,000 first-instance cases involved these novel compounds in 2023. In some provinces these new-type drugs now exceed fifty percent of cases. Guangdong Province provides a particularly stark regional example.
There, such cases comprised over eighty percent of the total in 2024. The anesthetic etomidate is a primary substance of concern currently. Its abuse now far surpasses heroin nationwide in scale. Only methamphetamine remains more prevalent than etomidate today. This illustrates the rapidly evolving chemical landscape clearly.
Furthermore, the sources for these substances are increasingly diverse. Drugs originate from overseas smuggling and domestic illegal manufacturing. Some also divert from medical institutions and pharmacies internally. Criminal groups exploit differing international control standards deliberately. They sometimes collaborate with overseas accomplices for smuggling.
Concurrently, a small number of medical professionals enable diversion. They illegally supply controlled medicines for substantial profit. Some patients also resell their maintenance treatment drugs illegally. The physical forms of these substances are becoming more concealed. They now mimic everyday items like chocolates and e-cigarettes.
Additionally, drug abuse is increasingly affecting younger demographic groups. Many adolescents lack maturity and face heightened susceptibility. They are now appearing more often as both users and offenders. The operational methods are also growing more technologically sophisticated. Online platforms and noncontact trafficking are now standard.
Traffickers use social media for contact and logistics for distribution. They often employ virtual currencies for financial transactions. This separation of people, drugs, and money complicates detection greatly. Judicial authorities acknowledge these serious new enforcement challenges. The fight against narcotics is entering a more complex phase.
Looking ahead, authorities must adapt to this shifting threat landscape. The data suggests persistent demand for psychoactive substances continues. Enforcement priorities will likely focus on digital investigations next. International cooperation will remain crucial for controlling precursors. Public education targeting youth may also see increased emphasis.
