BEIJING, Dec 24:
Hollywood action film star Jackie Chan today said he is ashamed of his son’s indictment in a drug abuse case in China and added that he has not used any political connection to bail him out of the trouble.
Jaycee, 32, was charged by Chinese prosecutors two days ago in Beijing, three months after he was caught smoking marijuana along with a group of friends in his house here.
He was charged with providing a venue for drug users, which could attract a three-year prison term.
Jackie, who is a highly influential politician in China, told state-run Xinhua news agency that he feels ashamed of his son and hope that one day Jaycee — a singer and actor by profession — would become an anti-drug ambassador, like him.
As the only son of the Hong Kong action hero, Jaycee commands much media attention.
His arrest is a major embarrassment for Jackie, who was appointed as the goodwill ambassador for the China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009 to promote anti-drug education in the country.
Jackie has earlier apologised on behalf of his son and flew in here soon after Jaycee was arrested.
In the interview, Jackie said he did not use his connections to interfere with the case. He hoped his son one day could become an anti-drug ambassador when released.
Jacyee was arrested after locals complained to police about the group, which also included 23-year-old Ko Chen-tung, a Taiwanese movie star also known as Kai Ko who was released after few weeks of detention.
Police said Chan and Ko both tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug. Police aired the raid on Jaycee’s residence on state-run CCTV.
The prosecution came three months after Jaycee was formally arrested by Beijing police on August 14.
The Chinese Government, which has launched a massive campaign against corruption and abuse of power, highlighted the case as part of its efforts to target “tigers and flies” to ensure everyone one is equal before law.
Jaycee reportedly told police that he has been using drugs for the past eight years.
Beijing police said earlier that more than 7,800 suspects have been detained this year for their involvement in drug abuse cases.
“To pay attention to the celebrity drug crackdown can be helpful for the war on drugs, as drug user in China gains younger users,” said a Beijing-based university professor of public security.
Statistics from the Public Security Ministry showed that by the end of May, 2013, China had a total of 2.61 million registered drug users, 20,000 were minors. (AGENCIES)
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