"Ice drug" traffickers executed or given death penalty

Three drug traffickers were executed Thursday in Quanzhou City, east China's Fujian Province, for trafficking in 1.1 tons of "ice" or methamphetamine hydrochloride.

The Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court sentenced Xiao Tianhua, Xiao Zige and Cai Xiudong to death on charges of drug trafficking in a public trial.

Court investigations found collaborated with Xiao Jiahuang, anoverseas drug trafficker, the three criminals shipped a total of 1.1 tons of "ice" from China to the Philippines and Japan on many occasions.

They were caught by Japanese police on January 6 when they were waiting to delivering "ice" to buyers in the Japanese sea areas.

The verdict also orders confiscation of all personal property of the three criminals.

While in northeast China's Jilin Province, Li Hong and Zhang Qingji, who were charged with smuggling and selling a total of 16-kg "ice drug" were sentenced to death Friday by the Intermediate People's Court of Liaoyuan City in the case's first trial.

It is considered as the biggest haul of drugs in Jilin since 1949.

In the October and November 2003, Li and Zhang had bought "ice"from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, and Myanmar and then sell the drugs in Zhang's hometown Dongfeng County of Liaoyuan City.

Zhang was caught by local police in the late November 2003 and Li was captured by the police in Baoshan City of Yunnan.

The two were deprived of their political rights to life, with their personal property confiscated, according to the court verdict.

Source: Xinhua