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Lai Changxing in Xiamen court to face smuggling charges

CHINA'S most notorious smuggling kingpin Lai Changxing was arraigned this morning in the Intermediate People's Court of Xiamen City in southeastern Fujian Province.

Lai, 54, once the No. 1 fugitive for his main role in China's biggest corruption scandal, was extradited to China from Canada last July and was charged with smuggling and bribery in February. He hired domestic lawyers to defend for him, said David Matas, Lai's former Canadian lawyer.

His trial was only open to four Chinese media, including China National Radio, Wen Wei Po in Hong Kong reported today.

The court spent 8 million yuan (US$1.27 million) modifying and decorating its courtrooms before the trial, insiders told the newspaper.

As Lai suffered from a severe heart disease and diabetes, he underwent special medical treatment when he was imprisoned in Beijing. He was escorted to Xiamen on March 28, the report said.

The Chinese government accused Lai's Xiamen-based Yuanhua Group of smuggling goods worth 53 billion yuan in the 1990s and evaded import tariffs totaling 30 billion yuan.

More than 200 senior officials in local and central governments were involved in his illegal business and 14 have been sentenced to death, including Yang Qianxian, former director of the Xiamen Customs, the report said.


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