Prosecutors in China formally arrested the son of movie star Jackie Chan, Jaycee Chan, after he was arrested last month for testing positive for marijuana, or on suspicion of allowing other people to consume drugs, according to The Associated Press.
Chan, 31, was arrested in Beijing after police said they found 100 grams of marijuana at his home, the AP reported. Chinese police need official approval from prosecutors to formally arrest a suspect.
During a period of formal arrest, police can continue to investigate. If they decide to criminally charge him, a trial would follow. The maximum sentence for allowing others to take drugs in locations such as a property, workplace or hotel is three years' imprisonment.
President Xi Jinping announced that China would "harshly crack down" on narcotics in June, according to the AP. His father, 60, served as a goodwill spokesman for the China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009 promoting anti-drug education.
China recently detained a string of B-list celebrities on drug-related charges, the AP reported. These cases have been publicized widely in both state and social media and have included movie and television stars, film directors and a prominent screenwriter.
Jaycee Chan became the highest-profile celebrity to be ensnared in an anti-drug crackdown by Chinese authorities when he was detained Aug. 14 along with Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai, according to the AP.
Police said a few days later that both actors had tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams, or 3.5 ounces, of it were taken from Chan's home, the AP reported.
China's penalties for drug-related charges include death or life imprisonment, according to the AP. Chan could be jailed for about three years if found guilty.
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, the AP reported.
