Beijing: Frenchman faces death penalty

Beijing, Aug 10: A French national and his chinese friend have been sentenced to death by the Chinese Court on drugs manufacturing and trafficking charges on Aug 10.

Chan Thao Phoumy, a French national was handed the death penalty on Saturday Aug 7 by a court in the southern city of Guangzhou.

The Frenchman had been sentenced to life in prison in 2007 in connection with a crystal meth ring operating in Guangdong province.

He then again charged with new trial while he was in prison, resulting in the death penalty, the official newspaper said, without specifying the new crimes.

His Chinese accomplice, Xie Weiming, was also sentenced to death, the report said.

Drugs laws are extremely strict in China, and those convicted of smuggling, selling, transporting or producing more than 50 grams of heroin or methamphetamine face the death penalty, according to state media.

Several foreigners have been executed in China in recent months on drugs charges.

Four Japanese drug smugglers were executed in northeastern China in April.

A court in southern China sentenced a South African woman to death for drugs offences in April, Xinhua said.

OneIndia News