Seven criminal gang leaders were given death sentences by the Taiyuan Intermediate People's Court on Saturday and executed in the city in north China's Shanxi Province.

The seven, Wu Yao, Lu Baoyu, Wu Bing, Lin Hongwei, Wang Guisheng, Yu Bin and Liu Jiang, were leaders of three criminal gangs that engaged in theft, kidnapping, gun trafficking and blackmail in the local society.

Wang Jibo, president of the court, said that local police and procuratorate authority have cracked several organized crime rings during the past few years and the major criminals received their deserved sentences.

Court investigation indicates that Wu Yao and his cohorts gathered together a massive fortune through operating underground gambling parties and recovered players' debts with force.

On Dec. 31, 1997, Wu Yao, Lu Baoyu and Wu Bing kidnapped Hao Aiping, who once had disputes with Wu Yao, and tortured him to death.

These vicious gangs have become tumors of society and significantly threaten people's daily life, according to the court.

Wang said it is important for the authorities to bring them to justice timely so as to guarantee a stable environment for people, who are now preparing for the traditional Spring Festival that falls on Jan. 22.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2004)