China's top court is mulling a judicial interpretation to the criminal law to cope with the spiraling number of cases involving new drugs, a senior court official has said.

Gao Guijun, presiding judge of the Fifth Criminal Court under the Supreme People's Court, said a new judicial interpretation detailing the penalties for smuggling, producing and transporting new drugs will be soon announced.

An interpretation made in 2000 spells out penalties only for traditional drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

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