Society

Ex-policeman on trial for gang crimes in Chongqing

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-16 14:00

CHONGQING: A former policeman, who allegedly became an organized crime boss and amassed a fortune running a loanshark business, went on trial for murder and other crimes in southwest China Wednesday.

Yue Cun, 47, appeared at the Fifth Intermediate People's Court in Chongqing Municipality with 39 other people accused of belonging to his alleged organized crime gang.

Yue, the former director of Nanbin Road police station in the city's Nan'an District, had served as a police officer from 1996 to 2004, said an official with the court.

Yue became a millionaire as chairman of Yinde Company with more than 10 branch offices after he retired from the police in July 2004, the official said.

Yue is alleged to have organized his company and gang according to the management practices he learnt in the police station, the official said.

Yue faces 13 charges, including organizing, leading and participating in a criminal organization, bribery, murder, intentional injury, kidnapping, extortion, illegal detention, illegal business operations, trespass, organizing an illegal assembly, disrupting the peace, and illegally buying, selling and possessing narcotics and firearms.

Yue's alleged illegal businesses of usury, private investigation of extramarital affairs and debt collection with violence earned him 200 million yuan ($29 million), the official said.

The charges covered his time as a serving police officer and later.

The trial would continue for 10 days, the official said.