By Blessing Nweke
Chinese authorities said Monday that U.S. and Chinese law enforcement agencies jointly arrested five suspects in a cross-border drug trafficking and smuggling operation, highlighting rare cooperation between the two powers just days before President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, the coordinated operation involved the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and China’s Ministry of Public Security Narcotics division. Three American citizens and two Chinese nationals were arrested during raids conducted across Florida and Nevada in the United States, as well as Liaoning and Guangdong provinces in China.
Authorities also seized several drugs, including protonitazene, a powerful synthetic opioid, and bromazolam, a sedative linked to illicit drug markets. U.S. authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the arrests or provided additional details about the investigation.
The arrests reportedly took place in early April, CCTV said, but were only announced days before the expected meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Drug enforcement and the flow of fentanyl-related substances into the United States are expected to feature prominently during the summit discussions.
“The successful resolution of this case marks another major achievement in deepening practical cooperation between Chinese and U.S. drug enforcement agencies,” CCTV said, adding that the operation demonstrated both countries’ commitment to fighting drug-related crimes.
The case marks another sign of renewed anti-narcotics cooperation despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing over fentanyl production and precursor chemicals. The United States has repeatedly accused China of not doing enough to curb the export of chemicals used in fentanyl manufacturing, allegations Beijing denies.
Last month, the U.S. extradited a Chinese fugitive wanted on drug-related charges after acting on intelligence shared by Chinese authorities, though it remains unclear whether the two cases are connected.
Original article
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