Chinese authorities have taken custody of the five major suspects in the "March 19" drug case. The suspects were arrested in Laos in March. They were found to be carrying nearly 580 kilograms of the drug crystal meth-amphetamine.

The bust was one of the first breakthroughs in the "Safe River" anti-drug campaign launched by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand in 2013. The joint operation targets drug traffickers along the Mekong River, which runs through China and five of its neighboring countries, as well as the Golden Triangle region, which is known as a major drug producing area.