Volkswagen Executive Expelled from China Over Drug Use

Jochen Sengpiehl was deported after testing positive for cannabis and cocaine upon returning from a Thailand holiday.

Jochen Sengpiehl, Volkswagen's chief marketing officer for China, was detained in Beijing after a routine drug test showed positive results for cannabis and cocaine.
The executive was held for ten days before being deported and permanently banned from re-entering China.
Volkswagen and the German embassy in Beijing were involved in securing Sengpiehl's release, but the company has not publicly commented on the incident.
The case highlights China's strict anti-drug laws, which apply regardless of where the substance use occurred.
The incident comes at a challenging time for Volkswagen, as it faces competitive pressures in the Chinese electric vehicle market.