A court in Fujian (southeastern China) has sentenced two people to death for attempting to smuggle 400 kg of methamphetamine from Southeast Asia into Taiwan by sea, media reported Wednesday (January 12th). 'State.
Ten other people belonging to the same network of traffickers were sentenced to prison terms ranging from ten years to life in a "
large-scale
" operation, according to the China News Service news agency.
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Chinese and foreign gangs operating from coastal Fujian province used fishermen to smuggle drugs in December 2020, the agency reports.
The judgment was announced "
recently
," she added, citing local police.
A total of 20 suspects were arrested in this case and 400 kg of methamphetamine seized as well as a ship, the agency said, citing an unidentified coast guard official.
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Drug trafficking is commonly punished with the death penalty in China, where the number of executions that take place each year remains secret.
Fujian province, located some 160 km from Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait, has long been known for the smuggling of migrants and goods carried out by organized networks.
Since July 2018, the Fujian Coast Guard have seized 3.7 tons of drugs in nine operations, according to the agency.