CHINA: TWO DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH SIX YEARS AFTER THE TRIAL

The Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangmen, Guangdong province, on 30 April 2019 handed down death sentences for drug offences to two accused and suspended death sentences for five others.
The two main accused in the case – a Canadian identified by the Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court as Fan Wei, and an individual named Wu Ziping, whose nationality was not specified – were both given death sentences.
An American identified as Mark, and Mexican nationals named in court translations as Leon, Pedro, Oscar and Carrett were given suspended death sentences and jailed for life, according to an online court statement.
The prison terms of four other defendants – Zeng Xiangliang, Li Rongfu, Liao Jianming and Liu Zhimin – were not specified.
The group were found guilty of setting up a drug factory in Taishan, where they produced more than 63kg (140lb) of methamphetamine and 365.9 grams of dimethylamphetamine between July and November 2012.
The court notice said the convicted could appeal against the sentence, adding that consular officials were present during the court proceedings.
The gang were detained in late 2012 and put on trial a year later, but the court did not reach a verdict until 30 April.