Man sentenced to death for drug trafficking, homicide in China

GUANGZHOU - A man in South China's Guangdong province was sentenced to death for making and trafficking drugs, homicide, kidnapping, and illegal possession of guns and ammunition, the Intermediate People's Court of Shanwei City said Tuesday.

Chen Shixuan was seized in May 2016 by police. The court said he was a leader of a criminal gang who had engaged in illegal activities in Bomei township, of Lufeng city in Guangdong.

He illegally made and sold a large amount of methamphetamine, the court said.

In a raid on an apartment in the township on August 16, 2015, police seized over 1,929 grams of methamphetamine and a large amount of ingredients. In the same year, he sold around three kilograms of methamphetamine to two buyers surnamed Tang and Lai.

According to the court, on September 29, 2015, Chen was responsible for the death of a man surnamed Li whom he illegally held in a carwash. Chen also kidnapped another man surnamed Zhou in an attempt to exhort a ransom.

Chen was a convicted felon and served time in prison before the trial. His repeated offence and leading role in the gang led to him being sentenced to capital punishment, the court said.

Other gang suspects are under investigation.