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Up to 100 suspected gangsters, accused of involvement in organized crime, have been brought to trial yesterday in Loudi, in central China's Hunan Province.

The 98-member gang has been involved in more than 20 criminal charges, such as co-ordinating underworld organizations, murder, drug trafficking and abduction, according to local public prosecutors.

With such a large number of suspects and criminal charges, the local task force in charge of the case said it is the biggest gang-related criminal case ever in the province.

"The case was so complicated that the preliminary ruling will not be given until more than 20 days of trial," a task force member surnamed Li said yesterday.

Ninety-seven gangsters, headed by 34-year-old Liu Junyong, stood before the opening hearing at the Intermediate People's Court of Loudi. One member was absent due to grave ailment.

Defending the gang, about 70 lawyers also attended the public hearing.

Together with underworld boss Liu, other members include Liao Jianwei, Liu Yonghua and Chen Binbin, who all ranked highly in the well-organized criminal gang since 1998, recruiting 20 active members.

Since 1998, the gang is suspected of organizing some 150 crimes, causing damage to the social and economic order of the city.

The gang only received the attention of the police following a murder investigation six years after the gang's creation.

On June 30, 2004, some 20 members of the underworld gang broke into the home of villager Chen Xinhua in Loudi's Shajiang Village. Chen was then chopped to death and two of his relatives seriously injured as they attempted to alert the police.

A local report said that local governments are likely to stand behind the gang, which has constantly sought protection and support from local authorities.

Last month, Vice-Minister of Public Security Bai Jingfu warned that leaders of the local public security bureaux might be dismissed if criminal gangs in their localities are crushed through reports to his ministry instead of through their own efforts.

In previous years, gang-related crimes have been on the rise in Loudi

In 2003, a total of 57 gangsters involved in organized crime were jailed by the Intermediate People's Court of Loudi.

Since 1997, underworld thugs have committed a series of major crimes, leaving one person dead and 19 injured.

Underworld boss Tan Heping and four other principal members of his criminal gang were sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murder, robbery, assault and abduction.

(China Daily April 11, 2006)