“The Thunder,” a TV series based on real cases and anti-drug police officers, has become a hit on the Chinese screen.

Coinciding with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, “The Thunder” reveals the serious harm that drugs do to people's lives, and pays tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives in the fight against drugs.

Besides “The Thunder,” there are many films and TV shows that depict the fatal harm of drugs and the difficulty of anti-drug work.

“Based on a True Story”

Unidentified men had shot and attacked two Chinese merchant ships on the Mekong River in the golden triangle, a stretch of the river known as the "gate of death." Soon afterwards, the Thai military held a news conference to accuse Chinese merchant ships of selling drugs. The bodies of the 13 Chinese sailors who were brutally murdered were found, although the press release claimed that all had fled.

The Chinese government sent police teams to Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to conduct cross-border investigations. This case turns out to be the work of a drug Lord in the golden triangle area.

Many of the bloody and brutal plots of the film “Operation Mekong” are not simply the artistic creation of the screenwriter, but did happen in real life.

“Based on a true story,” the tip is even creepier than the big-budget plots in the movies.

“The Thunder” was also inspired by a true case.

The real prototype of “Ta Zhai” Village in “The Thunder” is “China’s number one village of drug production,” Boshe, in Shanwei City, Guangdong Province.

Police seized nearly three tons of methamphetamine during an operation involving 20 percent of the families in the village. The case is a landmark battle in China's anti-drug history.

Hailing real heroes

The opening line of “The Thunder” is very striking: “There’s no such thing as a peaceful world. We feel like so because someone take on the burdens.”

Real-life anti-drug polices live a life of "walking on a knife's edge.”

Tian Feng, a 36-year-old anti-drug police officer, has been fighting for 14 years in anti-drug front.

Tian has been working on the front lines since graduation. Although he is very proud of his work, his parents were strongly opposed in the first place.

“Mom, someone has to do it. That's what I've learned. I can do it well,” Tian always told his mom. Tian’s mother said nothing, even though she still didn't want to see her son risking his life.

Tian Feng remembered the message his mom sent him on the day of his birthday when he went on his first mission.

“Happy birthday my son, take good care of yourself,” Tian choked up. “My mom never typed before.”

“I’m not a hero,” Tian always says. Countless police officers have given their lives in silence. They are the true heroes, Tian said.

Achievements

Morphine, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and much more all point to a grim situation. However, through years of efforts, the overall drug control situation in China has shown positive changes.

According to a report from the National Narcotics Control Committee, by the end of 2018, China had 2.404 million drug addicts, down 5.8 percent from a year earlier.

The proportion of minors in drug-related crimes has decreased, and the effectiveness of drug prevention education among young people has been further consolidated.