Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jun 2007
Source: China Daily (China)
Copyright: 2007 China Daily
Contact: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/static-e/Contact-Us.html
Website: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4379
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7 TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH

The country's top court announced yesterday that it had approved the 
death penalty for seven drug traffickers.

Three principals of a cross-border drug crime, Yan Hanlong, Li Zibin 
and Xiong Shiwei, were sentenced to death for the "extremely huge 
amount" of 42 kg of heroin they smuggled from Myanmar.

Wang Guangyou organized heroin trafficking by getting villagers in 
Guizhou Province to transport 806 grams of heroin from Kunming, 
Yunnan Province.

Zhang Hong'an, who had long been engaged in cross-border drug crimes 
as the leader of a trafficking gang.

Long Congbin, who had served imprisonment for drug trafficking before 
his latest conviction.

Guo Shichen, who traded in new types of drugs such as ecstasy and 
"magu", a Thai word for a stimulant drug that is a combination of 
methamphetamine and caffeine. Guo's trading of "magu" amounted to 
1,275 grams, well above the threshold for a death sentence.

Ni Shouming, spokesman for the Supreme People's Court, said the top 
court will show no leniency in handing down the maximum penalty to 
kingpins of drug trafficking gangs and those who participate in 
cross-border drug crimes.
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