Pubdate: Thu, 25 Dec 2003
Source: China Post, The (Taiwan)
Copyright: 2003 The China Post.
Contact:  http://www.chinapost.com.tw
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2840

POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR TRAFFICKING

A Taoyuan policeman was convicted of dope trafficking and sentenced to life 
imprisonment yesterday.

Ma Chang-sheng, 43, of Taoyuan, was not given a death sentence the 
prosecution had requested.

A Nantou district court judge did not explain why he did not hand down the 
sentence as requested on last April 29.

In a written verdict, the judge imposed a fine of NT$10 million on Ma, a 
public safety patrolman at Taoyuan.

Su Tan, a 30-year-old common law wife of the policeman, was convicted of 
collaboration and given a sentence of ten years in prison.

Both were arrested at their Taoyuan home on last March 25.

While investigating a dope pusher, Ma got acquainted with a trafficking 
ring leader in 1996. He started selling drug himself a year later, the 
verdict said. Over the last six years, the verdict added, Ma sold some NT$3 
million worth of heroin and amphetamine a month.

When Ma was arrested, police found more than 600 grams of heroin at his 
apartment. 
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