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A court in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, has sentenced a man surnamed Xia and his son to six years and five and a half years in prison, respectively, for selling controlled stimulant substances. The verdict followed a two-year police investigation, which was initiated after China's Ministry of Public Security received a tip-off from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chinese Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday.

The case dates back to June 2023, when the US DEA, operating under the Department of Justice, notified China's MPS of an arrest involving a Chinese national charged with trafficking sensitive chemicals. The MPS subsequently directed public security authorities in Hubei to launch an investigation.

Further investigations found Xia and his son had sold and shipped large quantities of non-scheduled precursor chemicals overseas.

Beginning in May 2021, the two suspects registered several shell trading companies and hired employees to fabricate information about the companies' production, business and transportation capabilities on domestic and overseas websites. 

They posted large numbers of advertisements for non-scheduled chemicals, sourced the products domestically after receiving orders from overseas buyers, and shipped them abroad through international freight forwarding companies, according to the CCTV report.

During a two-year investigation, police found that some of the chemicals sold by the duo included stimulant substances controlled under Chinese regulations.

The court found that Xia and his son organized others to illegally sell controlled stimulant substances in 123 transactions between November 2021 and July 2024, with total sales exceeding 1.69 million yuan ($235,000).

On August 14, 2026, the court convicted both defendants of illegal business operations, sentencing Xia to six years in prison and his son to five years and six months. Both were also fined.

Police reminded companies and individuals engaged in chemical trading and export businesses to strengthen their legal awareness, strictly comply with relevant Chinese and foreign laws and regulations, and follow warning notices issued by China's national anti-drug authorities in August 2019, November 2023, November 2025 and May 2026 to guard against legal risks.

Global Times