Chinese police arrested 12,125 suspects in a recent nationwide campaign to fight Internet-based drug addiction and sale, state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday, referring to China's Ministry of Public Security.
In March, police in the provinces of Shanxi and Gansu in northwest China found some people were getting and selling drugs through chatting in online chatting rooms, which were usually inaccessible to outsiders, the agency said.
In late August, China's Ministry of Public Security launched a nationwide campaign to fight online drug-related activities and started tightening the net to seize the suspects on September 2.
The campaign was launched after some criminal suspects were found to be using online video platform to conduct sales and gather drug addicts.
New comers could only be allowed to enter the online chatting room after being introduced by "acquaintances" and performing drug-addiction through the online video, the agency said, referring to a ministry official.
Police across the country busted 144 rings involved in drug production and trafficking and 22 secret drug-producing sites, and seized 308.3 kg of illicit drugs.
Among the arrested suspects, 66.2 percent are young people under 35 years old, and 2.6 percent are under 18, with the youngest being 14 years old, the agency said.
