'Godfather' handed life sentence
By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-06 07:16

GUANGZHOU: The 'Godfather' of a Guangdong crime syndicate was sentenced to life in jail on Friday for a string of crimes including murder, kidnap and drug trafficking.

Jian Zhuxing (L) and other members of his gang appear in court on Friday. [newsphoto]

Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court handed down the sentence to Jian Zhuxing, 44, a native of Xinxing County in Guangdong, for his role at the head of a criminal gang.

Jian was accused of organizing the mafia-style syndicate, made up of at least 35 members, between 1999 and 2004.

All 35 criminals including Jian, faced a total of 11 court charges, including kidnapping, drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons, murder and illegal detention.

Other members of the gang, who appeared in court on the same day, were also sentenced to varying jail terms of at least two years.

Jian and his organization's downfall began last March when Guangzhou police detained 52 suspects thought to be involved in the crime ring.

During their raids, police seized a machine gun, four pistols, three hunting rifles, 94 bullets, a bullet-proof vest, 35 knives and more than 11 vehicles.

The gang were found to have been involved in 39 murders and kidnappings between 1999 and 2003.

As well as murder and kidnap, the group also indulged in robberies, drug trafficking, extortion, beatings and other crimes across Guangzhou's Fangcun, Yuexiu and Baiyun districts and in the neighbouring city of Foshan.

Sources with the court said Jian established his crime ring in the 1990s by monopolizing major fruit markets in Guangzhou's Liwan and Huadu districts using threats, beatings and extortion to intimidate fruit vendors to sign unfair agreements with him.

Over the past few years, Jian hired many local jobless people to serve as his hatchet men.

Many members of the crime ring had admitted their crimes and in pleading guilty asked for leniency from the court.

None of those convicted, including Jian, plan to appeal the convictions or sentences passed.

It is so far the biggest underground organization the courts in Guangdong have ever handled, Li Zhongyuan, an official with the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court told China Daily.

(China Daily 08/06/2005 page2)

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