Chinese courts vow tougher penalties on drug-related crimes

China's Supreme People's Court has released details of five drug-related cases on the eve of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Three people found guilty of producing and trafficking massive amounts of drugs have been handed death sentences.

Ma Yan is a deputy presiding judge with the Supreme People's Court.

"As the drug market has been expanding in recent years, small-time drug dealing, possession of drugs and other crimes have also soared. In 2013, the authorities cracked down on over 60,000 small-time drug dealers, accounting for 70 percent of drug dealing cases. Previously most of the drug-related crimes were found in border areas, the southwestern region and costal areas. But now the networks have expanded inland."

Ma Yan says provincial areas including Guangdong, Zhejiang and Chongqing settled the most drug-related cases last year.

South China's Guangdong province has topped the list since 2007. And Northeast China's Liaoning province has seen increasing numbers of such cases in recent years.

Chinese courts have sentenced over 39,700 criminals for drug-related offenses in the first five months of this year, up over 27 percent year on year.

In one extreme case, an offender was sentenced to death for murdering his girlfriend and 4-month-old son while he was high on drugs.

Sun Jungong is the spokesperson for the Supreme Court.

"Drug-related crimes do not only endanger the lives of drug users, they can also trigger other crimes including burglary and violent acts. The five cases have been publicised so as to demonstrate the danger of drugs and to increase public awareness."

This year's International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking falls on this Thursday.

The day was established by the United Nations in 1988.