BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's judicial and law enforcement authorities have issued a set of guidelines on handling criminal cases involving fentanyl-related substances, stressing severe punishment for such crimes in accordance with the law.
The guidelines, jointly issued by China's Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), aim to ensure the accurate enforcement of the law, protect public health and maintain social stability.
The 18-article document sets out clear thresholds and standards for the conviction and sentencing in fentanyl-related cases, with different standards applying to cases involving pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical fentanyl-related substances.
It defines the scope of fentanyl-related substances covered by relevant laws and rules, and specifies requirements for evidence collection and the recovery of illicit proceeds in related cases.
The guidelines further clarify the respective responsibilities of judicial and law enforcement authorities in handling such offenses.
The top procuratorial and police authorities also jointly issued a set of rules on investigation and prosecution standards for related criminal cases.
The three authorities said in a statement that they would continue to strengthen law-based punishment and comprehensive prevention of crimes involving fentanyl-related substances, while advancing efforts to combat all drug-related crimes.
China has adopted a package of measures to ensure sound and effective governance of fentanyl issues, including adding more substances to the control list, strengthening routine supervision, intensifying anti-smuggling efforts, and advocating global joint governance. It is actively promoting international cooperation, assisting relevant countries in addressing the threats and challenges brought by fentanyl-related substances.
China has taken the global lead in implementing category-wide management of fentanyl-related substances, innovatively including all eligible substances in the scope of regulation by scientifically defining the core chemical structural characteristics of fentanyl.
It is also enforcing strict control over precursors of fentanyl-related substances.
In November 2025, China added 13 types of precursors for fentanyl-related substances to its export control list and applied country-specific measures to the United States, Mexico and Canada. In May 2026, three additional types of fentanyl-related precursors were added to the list applicable to those three countries.
Wednesday's new rules are part of China's latest efforts to fight against narcotics and related offenses.
The country's anti-narcotics authorities on Tuesday warned companies and individuals to strictly comply with earlier regulations while handling medetomidine and tartaric acid, to prevent the two chemicals from entering illegal channels and being diverted into narcotics production.
Authorities have also stepped up enforcement against the illegal trafficking of precursor chemicals and other sensitive substances. The MPS said in May that since 2025, Chinese police had cracked 29 criminal cases involving such materials, arrested 157 suspects, and seized 720 kg of drugs, 1.3 tonnes of new psychoactive substances, 0.9 kg of stimulants and 27.7 tonnes of non-scheduled precursor chemicals. ■
