Chinese national arrested in scheme to import drugs through Port of Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A Chinese national was indicted in the United States in a scheme to import hundreds of kilograms of drugs through the Port of Savannah.

45-year-old Wei Gong, also known as “David Gong” of Tianjin, China, has been in custody in China since his arrest by Chinese authorities in February 2026 on related Chinese criminal violations. The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Georgia said the United States gave information to Chinese authorities, which they used to investigate and ultimately arrest Gong.

According to Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Gong is charged in a recently unsealed indictment in the Southern District of Georgia.

He is charged with:

• Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances
• Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
• Importation of Controlled Substances
• Distribution of Controlled Substances

The charges each carry statutory sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison, along with financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted there is no parole in the federal system.

“Wei Gong, through his ownership of a Chinese chemical company, imported more than 10 kilograms of dangerous drugs into the Southern District of Georgia and sought to bring in more than 1,000 kilograms through the Port of Savannah,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “He also advertised other drugs for sale, including deadly fentanyl analogues. We are thankful for the professionalism and hard work of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security’s Narcotics Control Bureau in developing their case and taking Gong into custody.”

Unsealed indictment and civil complaint in the Southern District of Georgia reveals what substances were involved

A recently unsealed indictment and civil complaint in the Southern District of Georgia revealed that Gong imported ethylone and N,N-dimethylpentylone, both schedule I controlled substances and synthetic cathinones, into the Augusta and Savannah areas.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gong sold at least 10 kilograms to an undercover agent working for the Drug Enforcement Administration, and to 45-year-old Conway Rhinehart of Hephzibah, Georgia, who in January 2024 was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug distribution charges.

Investigation alleges activities starting in 2020

The investigation alleges that Gong’s activites started in 2020 and lasted until his arrest in 2026.

“Gong discussed his ambitions to import hundreds of kilograms of dangerous drugs into southern Georgia, ultimately settling on a scheme to import more than 1,000 kilograms through the Port of Savannah. Gong accepted payment through cryptocurrency, which the DEA seized during its investigation,” wrote the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a press release.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he actively sought to avoid customs delays and shipment seizures and used others to help him import drugs from China into the United States.

Gong’s cryptocurrency records indicate he engaged in millions of dollars in transactions during the time of the scheme. The civil complaint, which seeks to forfeit the seized cryptocurrency, alleges that Gong violated customs and money laundering statutes.

Officials react to arrest

“The DEA Asia Pacific Division remains unwavering in its commitment to disrupting the drug supply chain that crosses borders and endangers American communities,” said David L. King, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Asia Pacific Division. “This coordinated action with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security reflects our shared resolve to hold traffickers accountable, seize their illicit proceeds, and dismantle networks that traffic fentanyl and other dangerous substances to the United States.”

“This arrest demonstrates the strength of international cooperation in disrupting global drug trafficking networks,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Working alongside our law enforcement counterparts in China, we were able to identify and hold accountable an individual responsible for attempting to exploit the Port of Savannah to introduce dangerous drugs into the United States. This case sends a direct message that those who traffic in poison, no matter where they operate, will be pursued through strong global partnerships.”