China to arraign Jackie Chan’s son over drugs

Chinese prosecutors have indicted the son of
Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan on drug
offences, more than four months after he was first
detained.
The announcement on Monday did not mention
when a trial would be held but if convicted,
singer-actor Jaycee Chan could face up to three
years in jail.
Beijing police detained the younger Chan at his
Beijing apartment in August along with Taiwanese
movie star Ko Kai. Police said Chan and Ko both
tested positive for marijuana and admitted using
the drug.
Jaycee Chan’s detention has been particularly
embarrassing for his father, who was named by
Beijing as an anti-drug ambassador in 2009.
Chan has never publicly contested the charge, and
his father has openly apologised over his
detention.
“Regarding this issue with my son Jaycee, I feel
very angry and very shocked,” Jackie Chan wrote
on his microblog in August. “As a public figure,
I’m very ashamed. As a father, I’m heartbroken.”
In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared
that illegal drugs should be wiped out and that
offenders should be severely punished. The
crackdown has snared more than 7,800 people in
Beijing alone, according to police, and celebrities
were targeted because of their influence over the
public.