MENTION the Goldfish case to any Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent in the United States and he will groan.
What started out as an example of international co-operation has turned into nothing short of a disaster for relations between China and US.
A US jydge has added to the DEA's misery by refusing to send suspected heroin trafficker Wang Zongxiao back to China.
Not only that, District Judge Willliam Orrick said the US Government committed 'clear, flagrant and shameful violations' of the rights of Mr Wang, who faces ' certain torture and probable death' if returned to China.
Beijing will be furious and will interpret this as another dirty trick by the Americans at a time when relations with Washington are distinctly cool.
The Goldfish case, as it is known, was the first joint drug prosecution case by the two countries, and Mr Wang was the first witness sent from China to testify in a US criminal case.
