China’s
state prosecutor said on Monday it had formally charged Jaycee Chan, son of
kung fu movie star Jackie Chan, with a drug offense, meaning he is almost
certain to face trial.
The
younger Chan, a 32-year-old actor and singer, was arrested in Beijing this year
after testing positive for marijuana, with police saying they found 100 grams
of the drug at his home.
In a
brief statement on its official micro blog, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate
said it had begun legal proceedings against him for “the crime of sheltering
others to take drugs”.
It did not elaborate.
President
Xi Jinping said in June that China would “harshly crack down” on narcotics,
state media reported.
Action and comedy star Jackie Chan, 60, served as a goodwill spokesman for the
China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009, state media reported, promoting
anti-drug education.
Jaycee
Chan was not available for comment. In August, his father offered the public a
“deep bow of apology” for his son’s arrest.
China has
detained a string of other mostly B-list celebrities in recent months on
drug-related charges, cases that have been publicised widely in both state and
social media.
They have
included movie and television stars, film directors and a prominent
screenwriter.
Drug
crimes carry harsh penalties in China, including death or life imprisonment in
serious cases.
Illegal
drugs, especially synthetic substances like methamphetamine, ketamine and
Ecstasy, have grown in popularity in China, in tandem with the rise of a new
urban class with greater disposable income. (Reuters/NAN)
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