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Four Britons among foreigners arrested in China for drug offences | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Four Britons have been arrested in China's Jiangsu province over drug-related offences. | |
They are among 16 foreigners - seven teachers and nine students - who were detained last week after testing positive for drug use. | |
At least some of those being held are from an international language school, Education First. | At least some of those being held are from an international language school, Education First. |
Police did not specify the type of drugs involved and it is not clear where the other foreigners are from. | |
There are extremely severe penalties for drug offences in China. | There are extremely severe penalties for drug offences in China. |
"We are in contact with the Chinese authorities following the arrest of four British people in Jiangsu province, and are providing consular assistance," said the British embassy in Beijing. | |
On Tuesday, the Xuzhou Public Security Bureau, located in Jiangsu province, posted a statement on Chinese social media site Weibo saying police had successfully cracked a drug-related case. | On Tuesday, the Xuzhou Public Security Bureau, located in Jiangsu province, posted a statement on Chinese social media site Weibo saying police had successfully cracked a drug-related case. |
It said 19 people had been arrested, including 16 foreigners. | It said 19 people had been arrested, including 16 foreigners. |
According to police, 18 people had been placed under administrative detention, which carries a maximum detention period of 15 days. One person was placed in criminal detention - a procedure that usually leads to a formal arrest and an indictment. | According to police, 18 people had been placed under administrative detention, which carries a maximum detention period of 15 days. One person was placed in criminal detention - a procedure that usually leads to a formal arrest and an indictment. |
Police did not name the school involved, but state news agency Xinhua later reported that some of the teachers were from the Switzerland-based Education First (EF) Centre. | Police did not name the school involved, but state news agency Xinhua later reported that some of the teachers were from the Switzerland-based Education First (EF) Centre. |
The EF centre told Xinhua it had a "zero tolerance" policy towards drugs, adding that it was deeply regretful that some of its teachers were involved. | The EF centre told Xinhua it had a "zero tolerance" policy towards drugs, adding that it was deeply regretful that some of its teachers were involved. |
It said the drug-related incident had taken place during "non-work" hours. | It said the drug-related incident had taken place during "non-work" hours. |
EF first entered China in 1998 and has around 2,000 English teachers now based in the country. | EF first entered China in 1998 and has around 2,000 English teachers now based in the country. |