SHANGHAI: Drug smuggling seems to be on the rise in this city, according to an announcement by the Shanghai No 1 Intermediate Prosecutor's Office, whose jurisdiction includes the city's two airports.

Yang Yujun, the director of the office's prosecution department, made the claim while announcing drug smuggling charges against nine people yesterday.

Yang said the office had investigated about 15 drug-smuggling cases since October last year. And Shanghai Customs had recently uncovered four additional suspects.