26 June 2020 :
A court in China on 24 June 2020 ordered two convicted drug dealers to be executed immediately during an open trial.
The pair, Lin Shanju and Li Zhiping, were caught dealing 9,511 grams (21 pounds) of heroin and 27,077 grams (60 pounds) of crystal meth in the southern province of Hainan in the space of one month, according to the court.
Four other drug dealers were put on the death row during the group sentencing on 24 June.
According to the Hainan Intermediate People's Court, Mr Lin and Mr Li carried out drug trafficking between March and April in 2015.
The court said that Mr Lin hired an accomplice to drive a drug-laden van for some 150 kilometres (93 miles), from Xuwen County in Guangdong to Qionghai city in Hainan, on multiple occasions.
Once the heroin and meth reached Qionghai, Mr Lin would hide them in his car and drive the vehicle to a place near Mr Li's home before selling them to Mr Li.
Mr Lin, then 43 years old, was caught red-handed during one of those trips on 25 April 2015, and Mr Li was detained on 16 July that year, according to a government report.
Police also found 252.4 grams (0.56 pounds) of heroin, 163.8 grams (0.36 pounds) of caffeine and 140,000 yuan (£16,000) of profit from drug trafficking at Mr Li's home.
The duo received capital punishment in April of 2017. They were put to death this week after the decisions had been verified and approved by the Supreme People's Court, a statement said.
