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Jackie Chan’s son Jaycee in drug arrest

  • Posted on August 20, 2014 at 1:47 am

The son of Hollywood actor Jackie Chan has been arrested on drug-related charges, Chinese state media say.

Actor Jaycee Chan, 31, and Taiwanese movie star Kai Ko, 23, were detained last Thursday, Beijing police said in a statement on their official microblog.

Police said both men tested positive for marijuana, with more than 100 grams of the drug found at Mr Chan’s home.

Their arrest comes amid an ongoing crackdown on drugs which has already netted several celebrity figures.

Gao Hu, 40, who appeared in the 2011 Zhang Yimou film “The Flowers of War”, was detained earlier this month for possession of marijuana and methamphetamines, state media said.

‘Huge influence’

In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “forceful measures” to tackle illegal drug use.

By arresting the son of one of the country’s most famous actors, the Chinese authorities are sending a clear sign that drugs will not be tolerated, reports the BBC’s Martin Patience in Beijing.

A government anti-drug advisor told the Associated Press news agency that Chinese celebrities were being targeted because of the “huge influence” their behaviour had on “their large numbers of fans”.

Hong Kong entertainer Jackie Chan (R) poses with his son Jaycee Fong Jo Ming as they take part in a press conference for Chan's concert at Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium, the centrepiece of the 2008 Olympic Games, in Beijing on 1 April, 2009
Jaycee’s father and martial arts star Jackie (Right) has travelled to Beijing to assist, his publicist says
A combination of file photographs show Hong Kong actor Jaycee Chan (L) arriving at the Hong Kong Film Awards on 19 April, 2009 and Taiwanese actor Kai Ko at the 48th Golden Horse Film Awards in Taiwan on 26 November, 2011
Jaycee Chan (L) and Kai Ko (R) are the latest celebrities to be netted in the high-profiled crackdown
In this photo taken on Tuesday, 18 March, 2014, actor Gao Hu poses on the red carpet during the award ceremony of the Celebrity Citizens in Beijing, China
Chinese actor Gao Hu was arrested in August for drug possession

Beijing Municipal Anti-Drug Office deputy director Jin Zhihai however, said that police were not specifically targeting celebrities.

“If there is an increased crackdown on drugs, the number of celebrity offenders will also rise,” he told the Beijing Times on 14 August.

Last week, 42 artist management agencies in Beijing signed an agreement with police pledging not to recruit celebrities with reported drug use problems.

‘Very big mistake’

Mr Chan, whose father Jackie was named an official “Narcotics Control Ambassador” by Chinese police in 2009, had been put under “criminal detention” for the suspected crime of “providing a shelter for others to abuse drugs”, Beijing police said.

If convicted, he faces a maximum prison term of three years.

Mr Ko, a Taiwanese actor and singer, won the best new actor award in 2011 at the Golden Horse film awards – known as the Oscars of the Chinese-language film industry. He also won a Chinese Film Media award for his role in the movie “You Are the Apple of My Eye”.

Accused of consuming drugs, Mr Ko had received a two-week detention term, his management firm Star Ritz Productions said.

“I feel very regretful, very sorry to all the people who support me. I’ve been a very bad example, I’ve made a very big mistake,” he said in an interview broadcast on Chinese state television on Tuesday.

Beijing police also said two other people, a 36-year-old assistant and a 33-year-old suspected dealer, were detained in the incident.

Mr Chan’s management firm M’Stones International apologised on his behalf for the “social impact” caused and said they would “supervise his rehabilitation and help him return to the right path”.

His father Jackie has not yet commented on the incident but his publicist told the Associated Press news agency that Mr Chan had travelled to Beijing to deal with his son’s arrest.

Article source:  www.bbc.com