Chinese courts sentence over 100 gangsters

BEIJING - More than 100 gang members have been sentenced to penalties, including a suspended death sentence, for organized crime, according to local courts.

Wuhu Intermediate People's Court in East China's Anhui province sentenced Zhou Banghai and Ding Shaoping to 20 years and 23 years in prison, respectively, for leading a mafia-style group, opening gambling casinos and injuring others. All their personal assets were confiscated.

The illegal gang activities in Wuwei county left one person dead, two seriously injured and 16 others slightly injured, according to the court.

The group's illegal gains totaled 27 million yuan ($4.3 million) from 2001 to 2014. The other 54 members were given jail terms ranging from six months to 14 years and fines.

Thirty-four gang members in the northwestern province of Gansu were sentenced to prison terms of up to 20 years after being found guilty of robbery, extortion, opening casinos, illegal detention and other crimes, Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court ruled Tuesday.

Guangdong Higher People's Court upheld a suspended death sentence for Chen Zhiwei, a gang leader, on Monday after a second trial. The other 15 gangsters received prison terms.

The gang members led by Chen killed one person and injured many others, among other crimes, according to the court.

China has recently started a new campaign against organized crime to ensure social stability.