Southwest province reduces trafficking from Golden Triangle, takes broader approach

Members of the female investigation unit of the Dehong Border Administration Detachment conduct police tactical training on March 5 in Dehong, Yunnan province. MA CHANGDONG/FOR CHINA DAILY

Ren Shasha, 32, knows what it takes to bust a heroin deal — an apron, some sunflower seeds, and the natural advantage that undercover female police have of going unnoticed by criminals.

Established in 2015, Ren's team is the first all-female anti-drug unit in China's national border defense system.

"I joined the team at its founding when there were only three female officers. Now it has expanded to eight," said Ren of the female investigation unit of the Dehong Border Administration Detachment in Yunnan province.

Many drug traffickers possess strong counter-surveillance skills, but female officers have natural advantages in certain tasks. Police skills such as disguise, surveillance and tracking often result in positive outcomes when women are involved, Ren said.

In a recent case, the team received intelligence about a potential drug deal taking place in a parking lot in Mangshi city, Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture. With its proximity to the notorious Golden Triangle, Southwest China's Yunnan province remains the front line in the country's efforts to stem the cross-border flow of illicit drugs.

"I disguised myself as a restaurant worker and positioned myself directly facing the main entrance of the parking lot. I remember wearing a restaurant apron and buying some sunflower seeds. Then, I sat around chatting with others to make the drug dealers believe I was genuinely working there," she said.

Hours later, a white car entered the parking lot and circled a few times. After confirming that it was safe, the passengers got out and pretended to move a tire into the car.

"When they were about 2 meters from the vehicle, we arrested them. We seized more than 30 kilograms of heroin in this case. Under the car mat we also found a handgun and a dozen bullets," Ren said.

Making an arrest is only the beginning of the process.

"Applying for arrest warrants can take about a month, followed by around two more months to gather evidence for the prosecutors," she said.

"A case takes at least six months before it enters a lengthy trial process. That's why we emphasize catching suspects in the act."

Catching a liar

In November 2022, Ren and her colleagues faced another challenging case.

The suspect had been apprehended but had extensive counter-surveillance skills. He was arrogant and continuously lied during his confession. To expose his deceit, Ren and her team had to meticulously gather evidence that contradicted each of his claims.

"He traveled from Kunming to Mangshi to find a spot for a deal. He lied about his activities during those two days, claiming that his father was sick and that he went to Mangshi to pray in front the Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda for his father's health," she said.

"Later, we reviewed all the surveillance footage, tracked his movements, and disproved every statement he made until he ultimately confessed in court. Even he was surprised by our work."

Ren said they never found any chat records on the suspect's phone about his criminal activities, but, "he later confessed that they used Alipay's secret chat feature, where messages self-delete after being read."

The female anti-drug team played a crucial role in a case in March 2021, when a 20-year-old foreign woman named Jia fell under the influence of criminals.

Due to her impoverished circumstances, she transported drugs to Dehong. She was caught and arrested, but refused to cooperate with the police investigation.

Ren discovered a photo of Jia with another woman, along with a note that contained the woman's name, phone number and a message.

Recognizing that this woman could be either a family member or a close friend, Ren and a female colleague gently approached Jia to discuss the importance of family bonds and friendship. Gradually, Jia's defenses softened, and she opened up, eventually confessing the truth.

Based on Jia's confession, police were able to continue their investigation and arrested another trafficker, and successfully seized 12 kg of heroin.

By June 2025, the special team had managed over 240 drug cases, addressed 300 border crimes, arrested more than 800 suspects, and seized 1.1 metric tons of drugs.