Living and working abroad, even in a company in your country or a multinational, involves complying with local laws. In China, they are drastic regarding drugs, and it is not uncommon for expatriates, employees or students, to pay the price, often to their great surprise.
China’s zero tolerance policy on drugs resulted in the expulsion of a Volkswagen executive, Jochen Sengpiehl, after testing positive for cocaine on his return from a stay in Thailand, reports the South China Morning Post. Arrested and then detained for ten days, the director of marketing and product strategy for China was then expelled from the country, in a context where the German brand is losing ground against its Chinese competitors.
This case highlights the strict rules applied to foreign residents and travelers. Chinese police carry out random checks by taking a urine sample or a hair from passengers arriving from countries that have decriminalized certain drugs such as cannabis, including Thailand, Canada and the Netherlands. A positive screening test can result in administrative detention for ten to fifteen days and a fine of up to 2,000 yuan, or 259 euros. According to Yu Siming, a former lawyer in Shanghai, the sanctions apply “whether there was consumption on site or not”. For less serious cases, the penalty can be reduced to five days of detention and a fine of 500 yuan (65 euros). However, any physical possession of drugs – even minimal ones – in luggage is considered trafficking, exposing the accused to criminal prosecution.
Foreigners found guilty are also subject to a ten-year ban on returning to China. A precedent observed in Xuzhou in 2019 saw 16 foreign teachers and students expelled for drug use, a sanction often accompanied by dismissal for teachers. Travelers should be aware that they will be treated “as if they had consumed [de la drogue] on site”, warn Chinese embassies.
