A Shanghai court has upheld the death sentence of a king-pin of a 20-member organized crime gang who proclaimed himself the "King of Shanghai's underworld".

The sentence was handed down to 41-year-old Li Bin by the Shanghai Municipal Higher People's Court on Monday, upholding the verdict reached by the Shanghai Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People's Court in October last year.

Li and 19 members of his gang, including his wife Yao Yinmei, were convicted of smuggling and selling 1.1 kilograms of ecstasy, eight kilograms of "ice" and 360 grams of other drugs between 2003 and May 2005. He was sentenced to death last October and his wife and other gang members were given prison terms.

The gang was also accused of being in illegal possession of weapons, including hunting rifles, air pistols, revolvers and dozens of hacking knives, among others.

Li Bin was jailed for two years when he was just 17 which was later extended by one year under the "reeducation through labor system".

He had later received "reeducation through labor" on four occasion and prison sentences on two more. In total, Li had served nine years and three months for "reeducation through labor" and six and a half years in prison before Monday's sentence.

Li began selling drugs and operated a gambling business from an entertainment business in Baoshan District following his release from prison in May 2001. The gangsters were seized by police in June 2005.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Higher People's Court, Li's death penalty is yet to be approved by the Supreme People's Court.

The other 19 members of Li's gang, including his wife, were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment on Monday, ranging from one year and three months in prison to life.

(Xinhua News Agency June 27, 2007)