Two men get death penalty for gang crimes
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A Chinese court on Wednesday handed down death penalty with a two-year reprieve to two men for their involvement in organized crimes and sentenced 21 others to jail terms ranging from one year to life.
The trials, which started in mid-December, are part of a massive government crackdown on organized crimes in the southwestern city of Chongqing.
Wang Tianlun, leader of the 23-member gang, was convicted of organizing and instigating gang-related crimes, forcing others to trade and committing intentional injury. Wang was also fined 100 million yuan (14.6 million U.S. dollars), according to the verdict of the No. 5 Intermediate People's Court of Chongqing.
Wang, who set up a food firm in 1996, had manipulated a local pig market as he hired people to force farmers to sell pigs to his firm by using violence and other criminal means, and as a result raked in millions of yuan from the illicit trade.
It was also found that he bribed local public security officers for protection purposes.
Tang Youbin was also sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on similar charges.
Peng Gang was given life imprisonment and 20 others got jail terms ranging between one to 20 years.
