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SCMP Reporter

A gunrunner who illegally exported 2,000 AK-47 rifles to the US was jailed for 14 years yesterday.

 Qi Feng, former manager of the Duoweidi Science and Technology Company in Beijing, was sentenced in an open trial at Dalian City Intermediate People's Court.

 Three ex-employees of the China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) received terms of three to four years for dereliction of duty.

 It was the biggest haul of automatic weapons to be seized by Customs in the United States. Their discovery resulted in a diplomatic row between the two countries.

 Washington accused Norinco and Poly Group - China's two top government-run arms merchants - of being involved in the deal.

 There were rumours that the claim indirectly led to the resignation of He Ping - son-in-law of Deng Xiaoping and chairman of Poly Group - from the post of director of the Armament Department of the People's Liberation Army. Poly Group is controlled by the department.

 Yesterday's court ruling cleared both companies.

 Xinhua (the New China News Agency) said the case was tried using written and verbal testimonies and confessions by the four defendants.

 The court heard how, in July 1995, Qi and Gu Hanqun, an American-Chinese businessman, plotted to buy disassembled AK-47s and export them to the US.

 Qi asked Qin Qixiu, an employee at Norinco's Dalian branch, to secure Customs clearance for exporting the parts in the firm's name.

 Qin agreed and reported it to his senior Lu Yilun, an assistant general manager. Lu approved the deal without getting permission from his bosses.

 Lu then asked another company employee, Guo Chengkun, to help.

 In January 1996, Gu and Qi arranged with Qin and Guo to sell 2,000 guns in the US after Gu promised to provide a US import licence. Qi used counterfeit documents to order 2,000 sets of AK-47 parts from an ordnance repair workshop.

 Guo helped Qi clear Customs in the name of Norinco Dalian. The rifle parts arrived in the US in February 1996, but were confiscated.

 After an investigation lasting nearly 10 months, Qi was arrested. He was found to have made 340,000 yuan (HK$316,200), plus an unspecified amount of US dollars, from the deal.

 The court said Qi's act had endangered public security. It found him guilty of trading guns illegally.

 Qin, Lu and Guo were found guilty of dereliction of duty.



14-year jail term for gunrunner who masterminded export of 2,000 AK-47s to US