Beijing: Seven mafia bosses were executed in
north China on Thursday for crimes including murder, extortion and
arms trafficking, state media said, calling it the biggest
local organised crime case in 60 years.
Zhang Baoyi and six others were put to death in Hebei
province, after China's Supreme Court issued an order of
execution, Xinhua news agency reported.
Zhang and his gang were charged with controlling
transport and commodity trading rackets in the province and
surrounding areas from 1997, it said.
"The gang used threats and violence to organise illegal
criminal activities including premeditated murder, assault,
organised beatings, provocation, extortion (and) falsifying
accounts," Xinhua said, citing the court verdict.
The seven were also convicted of illegal weapons
possession, illegal arms trafficking, illegal gambling,
robbery and possessing stolen goods, it said.
In all nearly 100 people were tried in the case, with 84
convicted to prison terms ranging up to life in jail, previous
reports said.
Convictions were first handed down in June 2007 and
appeals turned down in November last year.
The executions come as trials continued in a spectacular
organised crime case in southwestern Chongqing municipality
that has resulted in charges against top court and police
officials accused of protecting local gangs.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 07, 2010, 19:10