A drug kingpin was sentenced to death Friday in Beijing and
three others received sentences ranging from suspended death to 10
years in prison in the largest drug-manufacturing case ever busted
in the capital.
Liang Ruinan, a key organizer of the drug ring, was found guilty
of manufacturing 166 kilograms of methamphetamine, popularly known
as "ice," with three others in late March last year in a rented
house in the city's Chaoyang District, the Beijing No. 2
Intermediate People's Court said.
The 41-year-old was sentenced to death while three others, Chen
Bing, Li Huicheng and Cheng Zhongying, received suspended death,
life imprisonment and 10 year in jail, respectively.
The four stood trial on June 26 this year.
Chen and Liang were accidentally arrested by police on April 2
last year. Chen, who could not bear the smell given off by the drug
manufacturing in the house, went out for a stroll. When he was
spotted fiddling with a motorcycle near a bridge, the owner alerted
police for he thought Chen was stealing his motorbike.
Police were then led to Chen's residence where they found six
barrels of liquid, later confirmed to be methamphetamine, and
drug-making tools.
Cheng was arrested about one month later by Beijing police. Li
Huicheng was caught by Thai police on Dec. 19 and was brought back
to Beijing three days later.
According the court, the ring had planned to take the drug
overseas.
(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2007)
