JINAN - Chinese police have broken up a drug manufacturing and distribution ring comprising 19 members in nine provinces. The public security bureau of Weifang, Shandong province, confirmed on Thursday that it caught the suspects and seized 200 kilograms of drugs and 300 kg of production materials.

Detectives said they received their first tip from the public in July 2016, when residents suspected dangerous chemicals had caused the rupture of a sewage pipeline.

Police discovered that an apartment in the community had been sold immediately after residents complained, and were told that the former owner often used big plastic buckets to dump waste. Police suspected the waste consisted of drugmaking chemicals.