Chinese Embassy in Colombia reminds Chinese citizens not to be involved in drug-related crimes

In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the Chinese Embassy in Colombia reminds Chinese citizens not to participate in, and to remain highly vigilant against becoming inadvertently involved in drug-related crimes.

Recently, a Chinese citizen was arrested and detained by Colombian police after cocaine was found in luggage they were carrying on behalf of someone else, the embassy said. It urges all Chinese citizens to remain vigilant and take extra precautions.

Drug trafficking and transportation are serious criminal offenses in all countries. Colombia is one of the world’s major sources of illicit drugs, with consistently high production of cocaine and marijuana, the embassy said. Chinese citizens traveling to Colombia for tourism or family visits must exercise heightened caution and avoid making any missteps that could lead to intentional or unintentional involvement in drug-related crimes, it noted. 

The embassy said that criminal groups in Colombia often lure foreign nationals into smuggling drugs by asking them to “help carry luggage” or offering small incentives to have them transport suitcases or receive and forward suspicious parcels. Anyone who takes part in or assists with such activities – knowingly or not – may be treated as an accomplice and face prosecution, including possible imprisonment, it added. 

The embassy reminded that if a person encounters such a situation, the person should firmly refuse and report it to the local police immediately.