□ This article was written by Yan Xiaoguang, a reporter for the Information Times, with contributions from Lin Jingbiao.
At around 10:00 AM yesterday, upon approval by the Supreme People's Court, Liu Zhaohua, the top drug lord in a globally shocking major drug crime case, was executed by lethal injection in Guangzhou.
It is reported that Liu Zhaohua had engaged in large-scale drug production in Fujian, Puning in Guangdong, Ningxia and other places. In November 1999, over 12 tons of methamphetamine produced by him were seized in Guangzhou, an amount equivalent to the total quantity of methamphetamine seized worldwide in 1998. The methamphetamine packed in cardboard boxes filled an entire basketball court.
Starting in Fujian and Expanding in Puning
In 1995, Liu Zhaohua colluded with others to experiment with the production of amphetamine in Saiqi Town, Fuan City, Fujian Province. In June 1996, Liu Zhaohua produced 15 kilograms of amphetamine and asked Chen Wenyin (handled separately, already sentenced) to contact buyers. On July 5th at noon the same year, Chen Wenyin was caught by police officers in Fuzhou while trading 5 kilograms of amphetamine, and the seized amphetamine had a purity of 45%.
In May 1998, Liu Zhaohua conspired with Chen Bingsi (handled separately, already sentenced) and others. Liu Zhaohua would provide the drug-making technology and be responsible for production, while others provided the funds. They jointly manufactured methamphetamine for sale to make profits. Subsequently, Chen Bingsi rented a factory in Liusha Town, Puning City, Guangdong Province as the drug-making site. Between May and June 1998, Liu Zhaohua and Chen Bingsi gathered people together to produce about 300 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was sold by Chen Bingsi and others for profit.
"Transferring Operations" to Ningxia to Open a Drug Factory
In early September 1998, Liu Zhaohua and Chen Bingsi secretly plotted to establish a drug factory in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Liu Zhaohua was responsible for production and transportation, while Chen Bingsi was responsible for funding and sales, with profits split equally. From October 1998 to the next October, Liu Zhaohua directed others to manufacture large quantities of methamphetamine at a pesticide factory he rented in Xincheng District, Yinchuan City, and transported them in batches to Guangzhou and Puning in Guangdong Province for sale and profit by Chen Bingsi and others. On November 4, 1999, the public security authorities seized 554 boxes of methamphetamine transported from Yinchuan to Guangzhou, weighing a net total of 11,080 kilograms.
Over nine years, Liu Zhaohua colluded with others to manufacture 12,660 kilograms of methamphetamine and 15 kilograms of amphetamine, of which 12,360 kilograms of methamphetamine and 5 kilograms of amphetamine were seized. Liu Zhaohua made a profit of approximately 31 million yuan.
The End of the Century's Drug Lord After 13 Years
In late May 1996, in Saiqi Town, Fuan City, Liu Zhaohua's first methamphetamine factory began operations, producing the first batch of 15 kilograms of methamphetamine.
In 1997, Liu Zhaohua fled to Sanya and married his second wife.
In 1998, Liu Zhaohua produced more than a ton of methamphetamine in Puning, Guangdong.
By the end of 1998, Liu Zhaohua "transferred operations" to Yinchuan, Ningxia, continuing large-scale production of methamphetamine.
On November 3, 1999, Liu Zhaohua returned to Guangzhou, where another incident occurred, and he escaped from Guangzhou on a bicycle.
From late 1999 to early 2000, Liu Zhaohua lay low in a residential house in Qingdao, operating lottery tickets.
In 2000, he moved his family to Guilin.
By the end of 2004, he secretly returned to his hometown in Fuan.
On March 5, 2005, he was captured.
On June 26, 2006, he was tried in Guangzhou.
On June 22, 2007, he was sentenced to death in the first trial, and Liu Zhaohua appealed.
On June 25, 2008, the Guangdong Higher People's Court rejected the appeal after deliberation, upheld the original sentence, and submitted it to the Supreme People's Court for approval.
On September 15, 2009, the death sentence was carried out.
Commentary
Producing and Selling Methamphetamine Over 50 Grams Can Be Punishable by Death
According to legal experts in Guangzhou, China's criminal law stipulates that those who smuggle, sell, transport, or manufacture drugs under any of the following circumstances shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than fifteen years, life imprisonment, or death, and their property shall be confiscated:
(1) Smuggling, selling, transporting, or manufacturing opium of more than one kilogram, heroin or methamphetamine of more than fifty grams, or other large quantities of drugs;
(2) Being the principal offender in smuggling, selling, transporting, or manufacturing drugs as part of a group;
(3) Using armed protection to smuggle, sell, transport, or manufacture drugs;
(4) Resisting inspection, detention, or arrest with violence, under serious circumstances;
(5) Participating in organized international drug trafficking activities.
Thus, producing and selling heroin or methamphetamine over fifty grams constitutes a scenario punishable by death. Liu Zhaohua's methamphetamine production reached 12.36 tons, an exceptionally large quantity with immense social harm, making the death sentence and immediate execution appropriate.
From an Outstanding Judicial Police Officer
To the Century's Drug King
Liu Zhaohua grew up in poverty. His father passed away when he was twelve, and his mother was bedridden for many years, relying on his elder brother for support. Despite his poor background, Liu Zhaohua excelled academically, graduating from primary school and entering the best middle school in the area. He even won second place in a provincial chemistry competition in Fujian.
Dropping Out of High School to Join the Military
However, during his sophomore year in high school, Liu Zhaohua approached local street officials, citing financial difficulties and requesting to join the military. Unknown to his teachers and classmates, Liu Zhaohua secretly joined the border defense force in Pingtan, Fujian. His experience as a border defense officer gave him opportunities to interact with people from all walks of life.
Transitioning to Court Security Work
In 1988, Liu Zhaohua was transferred from the Fujian Border Defense Force and assigned to work as a judicial police officer at the Fuan City People's Court. In 1990, he was named an advanced worker at the Fuan Court, and in 1991, he received a third-class merit award during a major campaign for enforcement work in the court system of the Ningde region. However, with a monthly salary of only 56 yuan, this did not satisfy Liu Zhaohua.
Resigning from Public Office to Seek a Drug Formula
In 1996, Liu Zhaohua went to Xi'an Jiaotong University to find a retired professor, claiming he wanted to develop a weight-loss drug and intended to synthesize methamphetamine from phenylacetone but was having trouble with the crystallization process. After reviewing relevant materials, the professor confirmed that methamphetamine was indeed a component used in weight-loss drugs and subsequently taught Liu Zhaohua the crystallization process in a rudimentary laboratory.
The professor at the time only thought of Liu Zhaohua as a studious young man, unaware that Liu Zhaohua used the professor's "kind gesture" to create methamphetamine using an unprecedented method.
After leaving the professor's home, Liu Zhaohua eagerly conducted experiments and successfully produced 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the first half of 1996, hiding it in the data room on the fourth floor of the imaging building at the Fujian Provincial Hospital in Fuzhou. Later, his accomplice Chen Wenyin (already sentenced) took away 5 kilograms for sale and was arrested during the transaction, drawing police attention. This marked Liu Zhaohua's first entry into the police radar, beginning his nine-year fugitive life.
Hiding for 16 Days in a Cave
From late 1999 to early 2000, Liu Zhaohua laid low in a residential house in Qingdao, operating lottery tickets. In 2000, he relocated his family to No. 185 Lijiang Garden in Guilin. On November 24, 2004, at 4:00 PM, the Ministry of Public Security issued an A-level arrest warrant through live television, offering a 380,000 yuan reward for information leading to the capture of five major drug lords, listing Liu Zhaohua as the top suspect. At 10:00 PM the same day, Liu Zhaohua fled to a cave and hid there for 16 days. On December 14, the police searched the cave but only found the words "Liu Zhaohua has been here." On March 5, 2005, Liu Zhaohua and Guo Ruirong were captured by the police at No. 27 Street Tail, Fuan City, Fujian Province.
Three Family Members Renounced Secular Life
After Liu Zhaohua's case broke out, his family was shattered. Both of his parents had passed away early, leaving four siblings to rely on each other. In July 1996, Liu Zhaohua's nephew drowned in a swimming pool. Subsequently, his older brother and sister-in-law, overwhelmed with grief, both became monks. By the end of 1996, Liu Zhaohua's first wife divorced him and also became a nun, sending their son to be raised by her parents in Fuzhou.
Three Drug Lords Met the Same Fate on the Same Day
Zhang Jianxun
Drug Manufacturing and Robbery - Dual Sentencing
From the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2008, defendant Zhang Jianxun leased a house in Changyue Village, Fuxing Town, Jintang County, Sichuan Province, as a drug manufacturing site. Together with Zhou Jian (at large), they transported some drug-making tools and raw materials to the rented house and invited defendants Zhang Hebings and Liu Bo to participate. Zhang Hebings then invited defendant Tian Kang to join.
On the afternoon of December 18, Zhang Jianxun was arrested, and the police found 43.24 kilograms of powdered ketamine, 4200 milliliters of liquid containing ketamine, and a large number of drug-making tools and chemical raw materials at the location.
The court determined that Zhang Jianxun participated in the conspiracy, rented the drug-making site, prepared the tools and raw materials, organized, transported, and supervised the drug-makers, thus being the principal offender. Additionally, he had previously been sentenced for robbery and committed drug manufacturing within five years of completing his previous sentence, making him a repeat offender. Accordingly, Zhang Jianxun was legally sentenced and approved for the death penalty.
He Qibin
Rented House for Drug Manufacturing - Extremely Large Quantity
In 2007, defendant He Qibin purchased drug-making raw materials and tools and began manufacturing ketamine in a rented house in Mingzhu Yuan, Jinjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province in October of the same year. On November 19 at 21:00, the police caught He Qibin in the rented house, seizing 25,567 grams of ketamine, about 5500 milliliters of ketamine solid-liquid mixture, and drug-making raw materials and tools.
The court determined that He Qibin sought illegal profits, specifically rented a house, bought raw materials and tools for drug manufacturing, produced a large amount of ketamine finished products, causing significant social harm, and committing extremely serious crimes, deserving legal punishment. Accordingly, He Qibin was legally sentenced and approved for the death penalty.
Liang Ruinan
Repeat Drug Offender - Severely Punished
Defendant Liang Ruinan, under the direction of Tan Zhirong (at large), colluded with defendant Chen Bing to manufacture drugs in Beijing. On March 18, 2006, Liang Ruinan and Chen Bing rented a room in Huatengyuan Neighborhood, Chaoyang District, Beijing, as a drug-making location and purchased drug-making tools and raw materials. Meanwhile, defendant Cheng Zhongying and Liang WeiGuang (already deceased) traveled from Guangzhou to assist Liang Ruinan and others, extracting 166.45 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine.
The court determined that in the joint crime, Liang Ruinan and Chen Bing rented the drug-making site, purchased drug-making raw materials and tools, participated in drug processing, and were the principal offenders, should be punished according to all the crimes they participated in. Liang Ruinan also constituted illegal possession of drugs and had been sentenced for drug manufacturing before, making him a repeat drug offender, deserving severe punishment. Accordingly, Liang Ruinan was legally sentenced and approved for the death penalty.