Seven foreigners given death in Indonesia drugs case

JAKARTA, May 30 (Reuters) Five Chinese nationals, a Dutchman and a Frenchman who appealed against the length of their convictions on drug charges were instead sentenced to death, Indonesia's Supreme Court said today.

A court spokesman said two Indonesians previously sentenced to death in the operation -- involving a drug factory capable of producing a million ecstasy pills a week -- had their sentences upheld.

Supreme Court spokesman Joko Sarwoko said the panel of judges hearing an appeal on Tuesday lodged by the syndicate described the drug operation as an act of international organised crime.

''They are experts in ecstasy production,'' he said by telephone.

''The Supreme Court decided to increase the sentence to death penalty.'' Dutch national Nicolaas Garnick, 61, and 43-year-old Frenchman Serge Areski had previously been jailed for life.

The five Chinese nationals sentenced to death had previously received 20-year jail terms for working at the factory. They were named as Zhang Man Quan, 42, Cheng Kong Xin, 36, Jian Yu Xin, 37, Gan Chun Yi, 43 and Zhu Xu Xiong, 35.

Police uncovered the operation in 2005 in Banten province, west of Jakarta. Officials said it was the largest in Southeast Asia and the third biggest in the world, capable of producing one million ecstasy pills a week and various drugs with potential street value of 600 million dollar a year.

The only legal step the group now has is to push for a judicial review if new evidence can be submitted or on technicalities.

A presidential pardon is also possible, but this would be extremely rare in drug cases.

Indonesia imposes the death sentence for many narcotic offences, defending the penalty as necessary to deter others in a country with a growing drugs menace.

Six young Australians were sentenced to death last year for heroin smuggling on Indonesia's Bali island, sparking anger in Australia where capital punishment has been abolished.

The most recent foreigners executed for drugs offences were two Thai nationals in October 2004.

REUTERS SKB PM1300