In a move full of irony, the Chinese government has opened a website it hopes will beef up its National Anti-Drug Campaign.
Known better for its crackdown on social media freedom, the Government through its National Anti-Drug Commission Office, has registered an account on micro blogging site Weibo to enlist the public’s help in its war against illegal drugs.
The website has a platform of three channels: one to informs visitors of the dangers of taking drugs, the second listing places where drug users can seek help, and the third where citizens can hand in illegal drug users, drug smugglers and report “drug incidents”.
Meanwhile 822 websites which authorities found to be offensive have been closed down under the guise of “cleansing China’s drug scourge.”
At the end of last month Chinese Internet companies and telecoms operators signed a protocol drawn up by the Internet Society of China. Other signers were seven state agencies, Cyberspace Administration of China, and the National Anti-Drug Commission. Signers agreed to “exercise self-discipline”, and to avoid “gossiping” about the country’s underground drug movement.
At the protocol signing, Liu Yuejin, Assistant Minister of Public Security proclaimed that more than 83,000 pieces of illegal information had been “cleansed” from the Internet as part of China’s drug free campaign. Yuejin said it was the duty of every Internet user, including those on social media, to join in the campaign.
Recently Chinese police report having arrested 32,871 suspects for illegal drug use or trafficking, “solved 14,878 drug violations, and seizing, 4 tons of illegal drugs, 9 tons of chemicals used to make illegal drugs and 225 firearms during drug raids.
Stay Connected
