Article 344 Whoever, in violation of the provisions of the Forestry Law, illegally fells or destroys precious trees shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also be fined; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and shall also be fined.

Article 345 Whoever stealthily fells trees, bamboo, etc. in forest or woods, if the amount involved is relatively large, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also, or shall only, be fined; if the amount involved is huge,, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and shall also be fined; if the amount involved is especially huge,, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than seven years and shall also be fined;

Whoever, in violation of the provisions of the Forestry Law, arbitrarily fells trees, bamboo, etc. in forest or woods, if the amount involved is relatively large, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also, or shall only, be fined; if the amount involved is huge,, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and shall also be fined.

Whoever, for the purpose of profit, illegally purchases in a forest area trees , bamboo, etc., which he knows are felled stealthily or arbitrarily, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also, or shall only, be fined; if the circumstances are especially serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and shall also be fined.

Whoever stealthily or arbitrarily fells trees, bamboo, etc. in forest or woods, of nature reserves at the national level shall be given a heavier punishment.

Article 346 Where a unit commits any of the crimes mentioned in the Articles from 338 through 345 of this Section, it shall be fined, and the persons who are directly in charge and the other persons who are directly responsible for the offence shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of this Section respectively.

Section 7 Crimes of Smuggling, Trafficking in, Transporting and Manufacturing Narcotic Drugs

Article 347 Whoever smuggles, traffics in, transports or manufactures narcotic drugs, regardless of the quantity involved, shall be investigated for criminal responsibility and given criminal punishment.

Whoever smuggles, traffics in, transports or manufactures narcotic drugs and falls under any of the following categories, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 15 years, life imprisonment or death and also to confiscation of property:

(1) persons who smuggle, traffic in, transport or manufacture opium of not less than 1,000 grams, heroin or methylaniline of not less than 50 grams or other narcotic drugs of large quantities;

(2) ringleaders of gangs engaged in smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing narcotic drugs;

(3) persons who shield with arms the smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing of narcotic drugs;

(4) persons who violently resist inspection, detention or arrest to a serious extent; or

(5) persons involved in organized international drug trafficking.

Whoever smuggles, traffics in, transports or manufactures opium of not less than 200 grams but less than 1,000 grams, or heroin or methylaniline of not less than 10 grams but less than 50 grams or any other narcotic drugs of relatively large quantities shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than seven years and shall also be fined.

Whoever smuggles, traffics in, transports or manufactures opium of less than 200 grams, or heroin or methylaniline of less than 10 grams or any other narcotic drugs of small quantities shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also be fined; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and shall also be fined.

Where a unit commits any crime mentioned in the preceding three paragraphs, it shall be fined, and the persons who are directly in charge and the other persons who are directly responsible for the offence shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding three paragraphs respectively.

Whoever makes use of minors or aids and abets them to smuggle, traffic in, transport or manufacture narcotic drugs or sells narcotic drugs to minors shall be given a heavier punishment.

With respect to persons who have repeatedly smuggled, trafficked in, transported or manufactured narcotic drugs and have not been dealt with, the quantity of narcotic drugs thus involved shall be computed cumulatively.

Article 348 Whoever illegally possesses opium of not less than 1,000 grams, or heroin or methylaniline of not less than 50 grams, or any other narcotic drugs of large quantities shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than seven years or life imprisonment and shall also be fined; whoever illegally possesses opium of not less than 200 grams but less than 1,000 grams, or heroin or methylaniline of not less than 10 grams but less than 50 grams or any other narcotic drugs of relatively large quantities shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also be fined; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and shall also be fined.

Article 349 Whoever shields offenders engaged in smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing of narcotic drugs or whoever harbors, transfers or covers up, for such offenders, narcotic drugs or their pecuniary and other gains from such criminal activities shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than 10 years.

Anti-drug officers or functionaries of a State organ who shield or cover up offenders engaged in smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing of narcotic drugs shall be given a heavier punishment in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Conspirators to the crimes mentioned in the preceding two paragraphs shall be regarded as joint offenders in the crime of smuggling, trafficking in, transporting or manufacturing of narcotic drugs and punished as such.

Article 350 Whoever, in violation of the regulations of the State, illegally transports or carries into or out of the territory of China acetic anhydride, ether, chloroform or any other raw material or elixir used in the manufacture of narcotic drugs or, in violation of the regulations of the State, illegally buys or sells the substances mentioned above shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also be fined; if the amount involved is large, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than 10 years and shall also be fined.

Whoever provides another person with the substances mentioned in the preceding paragraph, while clearly knowing that the person manufactures narcotic drugs, shall be regarded as a joint offender in the crime of manufacturing narcotic drugs and punished as such.

Where a unit commits any crime mentioned in the preceding two paragraphs, it shall be fined, and the persons who are directly in charge and the other persons who are directly responsible for the offence shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs.

Article 351 Whoever illegally cultivates mother plants of narcotic drugs, such as opium poppy and marijuana, shall be forced to uproot them. Whoever falls under any of the following categories shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also be fined:

(1) cultivating opium poppy of not less than 500 plants but less than 3,000 plants or any mother plants of other narcotic drugs in relatively large quantities;

(2) cultivating any mother plants of narcotic drugs again after being dealt with by the public security organ; or

(3) resisting the uprooting of such mother plants.

Whoever illegally cultivates opium poppy of not less than 3,000 plants or any mother plants of other narcotic drugs in large quantities shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years and shall also be fined or be sentenced to confiscation of property.

Persons who illegally cultivate opium poppy or any mother plants of other narcotic drugs but voluntarily uproot them before harvest may be exempted from punishment.

Article 352 Whoever illegally buys or sells, transports, carries or possesses a relatively large quantity of the seeds or seedlings of mother plants of narcotic drugs, such as opium poppy, which have not been inactivated, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also, or shall only, be fined.