Forty suspected members of a triad organization in Shajing in Shenzhen’s Bao’an District are on trial for 14 different offenses, according to Shenzhen Daily.

The offenses include murder, organized crime, kidnapping, illegal detention, robbery, gambling, assault and bribery. The organization is suspected of involvement in 58 criminal cases, including two homicides.

Under the alleged ringleder, Chen Yaodong, the organization allegedly monopolized seven industries in Shajing including garbage recycling, gas supplies and construction material trade in the area. The gang had also dabbled in real estate and made substantial profits through illegal property development, the court was told, according to the paper.

Former local Party chief Liu Shaoxiong is also suspected of taking bribes of HK$12.2 million and 7.45 million RMB.

Chen Yaodong was arrested along with 101 other members of the gang

in February after a police raid in Shajing that saw guns, 37 bullets and a number of knives seized, according to China Daily. Party chief Liu was arrested three days after the raid.

In November 2003, Chen Kegeng became Guangdong’s first mafia member to be sentenced to death after he was found guilty of orchestrating the murder of a seafood wholesaler as well as attacks on other wholesalers.

This is another important chapter in the history of crackdowns on Triad organizations on the mainland.