Two officials in a drug rehabilitation center in Guangdong were sentenced to prison for forcing the center's detainees into prostitution, the New Express reported Thursday.

Chen Taizhong, a head of the center, was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 60,000 yuan (US$7,258.12). Shao Li'ai, a supervisor at the center, was sentenced to 10 years and fined 30,000 yuan (US$3,629.06).

According to the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court, Chen and Shao sold three detainees to procurers from October 2001 to March 2002.

On March 1, 2002, knowing that the center, which was to be dissolved soon, had decided to free the women, Chen chose three girls and told Shao to keep them for "a good price."

Chen told Mao Taifu, a procurer, to take the girls March 2.

Mao paid 1,000 yuan (US$120.97) to Chen but told the girls that they had to pay him 3,000 yuan (US$362.91).

Mao and another procurer, Ding Chuanju, took two of the girls and another was taken by his accomplice, Xiao Mei.

Mao and Ding forced the two girls to work as prostitutes to pay the so-called "debt."

They made "profits" of more than 1,300 yuan (US$157.26) from the girls before being caught by police.

The court ruled Chen, Shao, Mao and Ding were guilty of forcing the women to become prostitutes.

Mao was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,048.44) while Ding was sentenced to 12 years and fined 40,000 yuan (US$4,838.75).

(Shenzhen Daily October 24, 2003)