EF drugs bust in Jiangsu

[mungouk]

Four Britons arrested in China days after drug bust involving foreigners

 

Quote

Police in the city of Xuzhou in the eastern province of Jiangsu said on Wednesday that a total of 19 people were arrested in a drugs case centring on a local branch of a language school. [...]  Education First, a Swiss-based company which operates a chain of language schools in China, released a statement this week acknowledging a suspected drug case at one of its branches in Xuzhou.

 

This comes on the back of reports that police are increasingly conducting random raids on bars and clubs frequented by foreigners to do drugs tests on the spot and to check visas.

 

I'm told that they're now also doing random drugs tests on passengers' hair when arriving at Shanghai airport (presumably Pudong), maybe others too.  This could potentially result in you being deported even if you recently smoked weed somewhere it's legal.

 

 

 

 

[DavyJonesLocker]

45 minutes ago, mungouk said:

 I'm told that they're now also doing random drugs tests on passengers' hair when arriving at Shanghai airport (presumably Pudong), maybe others too.  This could potentially result in you being deported even if you recently smoked weed somewhere it's legal.

 

 

can you test drugs from hair?? 

 

 

[roddy]

Shortly: DJL has posted a new topic: Where to get head shaved urgently in Beijing?

 

Yes, though. Maybe not all, but definitely cannabis. 

 

 

[Lu]

1 hour ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

Can you test drugs from hair?

Yes. A Taiwanese friend of mine quit smoking weed months before his return to Taiwan from the Netherlands, worried that he would get tested like this. (He wasn't, I don't think anyone cared.)

 

I get that pot smoking is very much forbidden in China, but I wonder how this would work at an international airport. Smoking weed is perfectly legal in various places around the world and to the best of my knowledge not using soft drugs at home has never been a requirement for entering China. So what rule exactly have you broken if you show up at Pudong Airport with evidence in your hair that you have smoked weed at some point before coming to China?

[mungouk]

25 minutes ago, Lu said:

what rule exactly have you broken if you show up at Pudong Airport with evidence in your hair that you have smoked weed

 

I don't know the details in China, but in Singapore they can still take action if you took the drugs outside of the country. 

 

When I was teaching there, there were all kinds of warnings to students going on foreign trips, and posters on campus. 

 

(On the other hand, possession of chewing gum is now legal so long as it's only for personal use.)

 

 

[roddy]

Having Googled, you can detect a wide range of drugs. 

 

They might just take the opportunity to give you a lecture and invite you to sign one of those undertakings to obey Chinese laws. Chances are the aim is to justify a larger budget and try out that cool new tech someone's brother in law is selling as much as it is to tackle stoner tourists. 

[Jim]

Protectionist measures to support the domestic bathtub meth industry.

[ChTTay]

According to a BBC article I read on this, Chinese authorities can also still take action. Doesn't matter where or when you took the drugs, just that you've got them in your system or there's evidence you took them.

 

 

[roddy]

Quote

The Chinese authorities undertake random drug testing on foreign nationals including on entry to the country. If you test positive, the Chinese authorities can prosecute you regardless of where or when you consumed drugs.

From. I was about ready to dismiss the airport testing as rumour, but less ready now. 

[mungouk]

I heard about the hair-testing via a contact at Britcham, so I considered it a fairly reliable warning.

 

Confirmed again today as well.

 

[Shelley]

Possibly some tit for tat because of tariff wars? Just to annoy people? I don't know, just popped into my head:)

[mackie1402]

9 hours ago, Shelley said:

Possibly some tit for tat because of tariff wars? Just to annoy people?

 

Sounds like what my dad was hinting at. 

 

"But it seems strange, doesn't it? All 7 people from the same school all taking drugs? Isn't that strange?"

 

But like I said to my dad, I've met a lot of 'teachers' in China, and while I have a lot of respect for the serious ones, and I mean a lot, the majority are on a gap year (or years it seems), using their salary to fund their travels around Asia every 2 months when their visas expire, and spend their free time in bars complaining about what life is like in China and all of its limitations. So in my opinion, no, it doesn't seem that strange to me at all, and while I hope all the best for the people involved, these are the people who I believe shouldn't be in China in the first place. 

[ChTTay]

5 hours ago, mackie1402 said:

using their salary to fund their travels around Asia every 2 months when their visas expire

This situation was more common several years ago. Now it’s much more strict in all areas. There are still cowboys out there but that image is outdated. 

[ChTTay]

Also This article on caixing about the imprisonment of dodgy agents who provide foreign teachers. General tightening continues.