the head of a gang in China that smuggled 2 billion yuan ($292 million) worth of cigarettes

the head of a gang in China that smuggled 2 billion yuan ($292 million) worth of cigarettes was sentenced to death, while two other principals have been sentenced to life in prison, Shenzen's customs bureau said. Sixteen other gang members were jailed for between three and 15 years by the Shenzhen intermediate people's court. Shenzhen customs, which led the investigation into the case, said at a media briefing that the criminals were arrested in January 2006 following raids in Shenzhen, Xiamen, Shantou and Suzhou. Investigators found the gang had smuggled more than 200,000 cases of cigarettes with an estimated value of 2.08 billion yuan via the sea areas of Fujian and Guangdong provinces between 2003 and 2006, evading taxes of 1.28 billion yuan. The mastermind Lu Chengpin and four of his brothers each contributed 4 million yuan and his fellow villagers in Shishi of Fujian province also joined in the "shareholding corporation", raising 35 million yuan. Lin Jinzhou and Cai Xiangmeng, the two given life sentences, contributed 14 million yuan and 21 million yuan, respectively. The money was used to buy ships and cars, and build underground storage cellars. Lu made a net profit of 15 million yuan in 2004, prosecutors said. The gang also used the profits to buy property in Xiamen, Fujian province and Anshan, Liaoning province, and a convenience store in Dongguan, Guangdong province.