The Pingdingshan City Court pronounced publicly the...

The Pingdingshan City Court pronounced publicly the sentences on a 40-strong criminal syndicate. The three main culprits Tang Lifeng, Li Jun, and Zhang Guisen were sentenced to death, while the others were sentenced to definite or indefinite terms of imprisonment.
The syndicate used guns, knives, steel bars and so on in breaking into and stealing from enterprises and people's homes and openly flaunted the syndicate's banner during blackmail and extortion.
Tang had no hesitation in hiring hitmen from elsewhere for handsome payment, and also roped in and corrupted certain public security police to cover up their criminal activities.
From the second half of 1998 through 1999, this syndicate grew to more than 60 members and committed over 40 crimes. They murdered one person, killed one, seriously injured one, and injured more than 20.