China and the United States jointly cracked down on a transnational drug smuggling case, arresting five suspects, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Monday.

In early April, the narcotics control bureau of the ministry and the US Drug Enforcement Administration under the Department of Justice jointly cracked the drug smuggling and trafficking case, capturing five suspects, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

Coordinated operations were carried out in Liaoning and Guangdong provinces in China, as well as Florida and Nevada in the US. Five suspects — two Chinese nationals and three US nationals — were arrested, and a batch of drugs, including protonitazene, a synthetic opioid, and bromazolam, a sedative, was seized.

The operation successfully cut off a cross-border drug smuggling and trafficking route between China and the US, the statement said. The ministry noted that the successful handling of the case marked another major achievement in practical cooperation between Chinese and US drug control law enforcement agencies, demonstrating the two countries' shared determination to crack down on drug-related crimes.