China intensifies fight against drugs

A team of 500 volunteers clubbed together Sunday in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region vowing to fight drug abuse and illicit trafficking on the "roof of the world".

The volunteers are from all walks of life in Tibet. They will work under Tibet's association of young volunteers to keep the public alert to drug abuse and trafficking, help addicts abstain from drugs, and carry out exchanges and cooperation with nationwide anti-drug organizations.

"I hope I can help more people realize the harm of drugs, so that we can together set up a stronger 'firewall' against drugs," said Zhang Qiaoting, one of the volunteers based in Lhasa.

"Tibet encourages people from all walks of life to join the fight against drugs," said Deng Xiaogang, chief of Tibet's regional narcotics control commission.

Sunday is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

To mark the occasion, Tibet's regional government destroyed more than 200 kilograms of drugs that were seized across the plateau region over the past three years.

Many other Chinese provinces and cities openly destroyed narcotics Sunday to demonstrate government's determination in fighting drugs and to warn citizens to stay away from drugs.

Xishuangbanna prefecture in Yunnan Province destroyed more than 2,000 kilograms of drugs in public, including ice, heroin, opium and morphine.

Yunnan is one of the Chinese border regions most affected by drug use, due to its proximity to the opium-growing Golden Triangle in neighboring Southeast Asia. It is also a source of domestic drugs.

Police authorities in Yunnan seized 9.6 tonnes of drugs in the first five months of this year. Endi