Chongqing (China), Nov 3 (IANS) A court here Tuesday sentenced the head of an organised criminal network to 18 years in prison.
Xie Caiping is dubbed as “godmother of the underworld” in southwest China.

Twenty-one other people, including officials who offered protection to the gang members, were given jail terms ranging from one to 13 years by the Intermediate People’s Court, Xinhua reported.

Xie was found guilty of running a criminal organisation, gambling places and giving bribes to officials, among others. She was also fined 1.02 million yuan ($149,430).

Since September 2004, her gang had made two million yuan ($293,000) in illegal earnings by running more than 10 gambling sites and harbouring those who took drugs, the court heard.

Chongqing administration started a crackdown on criminal organisations in June, exposing deep ties between police and criminals.