China's first illegal synthetic ephedrine producer arrested

A drug manufacturer, who synthesized ephedrine in China, was arrested by police, the Public Security Ministry said Tuesday.

Xiao Jihe, 48, was apprehended in Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province on Sept. 28 by police after evading law enforcement authorities for more than two years, according to the ministry.

The ministry lauded the arrest as another success in its nationwide antidrug drive.

Xiao began to produce synthetic ephedrine, a primary component in methamphetamine, after he was dismissed from his position with the government due to bribery in 2002.

The sale and production of ephedrine have been under strict government control while the other substance he used to make it had not been strictly controlled until May this year.

He was first arrested for synthesizing ephedrine in 2009, it was the first case of ephedrine production of this kind in China, the ministry said.

After completing his prison sentence he returned to manufacturing the narcotic and taught others his method.

Despite police efforts, Xiao avoided arrest several times.

The ministry started a new six month round of crackdowns on illegal drug production, trafficking and distribution in September in 108 Chinese cities.