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SCMP Reporter

Police have accused a Falun Gong follower of drug trafficking - the first time such a criminal charge has been used in the 18-month crackdown against the sect.

Xinhua reported yesterday that police received a tip-off on January 18 that nurse Cao Dongmei, 38, of Qiaoguang Hospital in Zhengzhou, Henan province, was selling drugs.

The report said police searched Cao's home and found a large quantity of drugs including stimulants, as well as literature and videos on the banned sect.

It added that Cao had confessed to drug trafficking and was in custody pending trial.

To emphasise the 'evil nature' of Falun Gong, Xinhua yesterday quoted Cao as saying she sold drugs so that people could reach a heightened state of awareness and ultimate nirvana.

Beijing has stepped up its crusade against the Falun Gong after five people torched themselves in Tiananmen Square last month, claiming they were encouraged by exiled sect leader Li Hongzhi to demonstrate their faith in action. But the sect has denied that the five people were Falun Gong members.

Xinhua also quoted a drug addict, Wang Li, who said she and her boyfriend had both bought drugs from Cao on several occasions. 'Ms Wang said that the drugs were very strong and produced hallucinations, which made her feel very comfortable,' the agency said. It did not indicate if Wang and her boyfriend were also under arrest.

According to Xinhua, Cao was a devoted Falun Gong follower. She joined the sect in 1997 and demonstrated in Beijing last year.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy reported yesterday that a court in Jiangxi province sentenced former judge and Falun Gong practitioner Hu Qingyun on January 10 to seven years in prison for arranging for government-run bookstores to sell literature promoting the banned sect in 1999. It said Hu was formerly a judge of Jiangxi Higher People's Court.

The centre said the court convicted Hu for engaging in unlawful business. Hu has indicated he will appeal.

Separately, the same centre also reported that nine Falun Gong followers in Wuhan have been sentenced to between two and six years in jail for distributing information about the Falun Gong downloaded from the Internet. Two of the nine were identified as Cui Hai and Peng Cong.

It said the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court sentenced the nine on January 29th on charges that they instigated other followers to stir up trouble.



Nurse wanted people to reach ultimate nirvana, says report in continuing attack on Falun Gong