A former policeman's appeal was dismissed and his death sentence upheld in a second-instance trial Wednesday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Yue Cun, 47 and former head of a police station in Nan'an district, was given the death penalty by the Fifth Intermediate People's Court in Chongqing on charges of leading a criminal organization, murder, assault, extortion, illegal detention and illegal business operations among other crimes.

Yue appealed after he was sentenced on February 1 this year.

But the Chongqing Higher People's Court dismissed his appeal, upholding the original judgment.

Yue was also fined 150 million yuan (21.97 million U.S dollars).

Yin Zhiwei, a core member in the gang, was also sentenced to death for participating in a criminal organization, murder and assault, while another member received reprieved death penalty.

Three of the 40 member gang got life sentences, while the other 34 were given sentences ranging from two to 20 years in jail.

Yue began to recruit gang members after he started to manipulate a local cinema in 1996, asking them to collect protection fees from other entertainment venues. He set up a company in 2001 to cover the gang's crimes, according to the court.