BEIJING, June 25 -- Chinese courts sentenced 39,762 criminals for drug offenses in the first five months of 2014, up 27.8 percent year on year, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) announced on Wednesday.

Over 9,000 were sentenced to more than five years imprisonment or death, said Ma Yan, a deputy presiding judge with the SPC.

Five typical cases were made public by the SPC. Xiong Dongping, Xiao Wenzhong, Yang Yongshu and Gong Xingfu were all executed for drug trafficking or production, or intentional homicide involving drugs.

Courts accepted 43,180 cases and concluded 37,186 from January to May, up 30 and 31 percent respectively, according to the SPC.

In 2013, the police busted 291 cases of drug trafficking by armed dealers and seized 422 guns.

"Drug crimes have been spreading from border and coastal areas inland," Ma said.

In 2013 Guangdong, Zhejiang and Chongqing settled the most drug cases, according to Ma. Guangdong has been top of the list since 2007.

The southwest provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi still reported high incidence of drug crimes, and Liaoning in the northeast had been a major growth area of such cases in the past few years, Ma said.

The MPS said more synthetic drugs with fancy packaging are being traded to youngsters like snacks.

About 75.1 percent of new drug users in 2013 were using synthetic drugs and among them 75 percent were below the age of 35 with the youngest only eight, the MPS document said.

Police have intensified their activities at entertainment venues and dealers are resorting to other channels such as online forums and websites.

"Despite the grave situation, however, the resolution of the government and police will never change," said Liu Yuejin, director of the MPS's Narcotics Control Bureau.

The information was released on the eve of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which falls on June 26. The day was established by the UN in 1988.