Indonesians arrested in China

Indonesians arrested in China

BEIJING (AP): Police in the northeastern city of Dalian have arrested two Indonesians and two Chinese and shut down an underground factory for processing the illicit drug ecstasy, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday.

Police seized more than 6,000 tablets of ecstasy, known in China as the "head-shaking drug," 17 kilograms of raw materials for making the drug and 50 grams of the menthamphetamine known as "ice," the report said.

Indonesian citizens Herman Utomo and Betty Anie Arifin were arrested in connection with the case. Two Chinese suspected of helping the run the workshop and sell the drugs, Yu Fuyao and Li Juan, were also arrested, Xinhua said.

According to the report, the underground drug workshop had only started up early this month.

Chinese authorities have often imposed harsh punishments, including the death penalty, in their effort to battle a resurgence in trafficking and use of illicit drugs.