Eight members of a criminal gang in Nanshan District were recently given prison sentences ranging from seven years to 14 years for extorting money from fishermen and bribing government officials.

The eight convicts were also fined 20,000 to 200,000 yuan (US$2,817-28,169) for their criminal activities in the waters off Shekou in Nanshan District. One of the ring leaders, surnamed Lin, is still at large.

Members of the gang started to extort protection money from fishermen for allowing them to collect clams from the waters off Shekou in August 2004, court documents show. When a fishing ban was in force in the area, fishermen had to pay the gang 12 yuan for every basket of clams collected while during other periods, they had to pay three to five yuan per basket in protection money. Fishermen who refused to pay the fees would be threatened, assaulted and even driven away by the gang members.

In early 2005, gang members started their own unauthorized clam farm purchased between Dongjiaotou and Mangrove Nature Reserve without getting approval from authorities.

To continue their illegal activities without any problemss, gang members gave three fishery officials, who were only identified as Shi, Zhu and Ou, 173,800 yuan in cash and valuables worth 7,800 yuan.

In April 2005, the gang members started to drive away, destroy and even confiscate fishing boats that entered their clam farm on the excuse that the area was off-limits to other fishermen. In June and July 2005, when clam prices soared, the members collected about 900,000 yuan in protection money from fishermen who were allowed to enter their farm to collect clams. The fishermen were charged six yuan for every basket of clams，according to the Daily report.

(Eunice Kang)