A local court in Suqian City in east China's Jiangsu...

A local court in Suqian City in east China's Jiangsu Province sentenced to death four leaders, among them Zheng Mingyue and Zheng Mingliang, of a gang which abducted, raped and then sold 240 poor rural women as brides in the city of Suqian. Two others were given death sentences suspended for two years, and 12 others were jailed. Earlier in 2000 the Chinese authorities launched a campaign to crack down on trafficking of women and children which is rampant in rural areas.