BEIJING

Sentences amended in 11,000 criminal cases

Courts across China have amended the original sentences in about 11,000 criminal cases after retrials since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, a meeting held by the Supreme People's Court on Thursday was told. The courts have rectified wrongful convictions related to 58 major criminal cases involving 122 people over the past eight years, the top court said. A total of 3.86 million cases concerning changes to the execution of criminal punishment were handled by courts nationwide, it added. The courts have shown firm determination in amending wrongful convictions, the meeting was told.

SHANDONG

Customs intercepts tons of banned waste

Customs officers in Qingdao, Shandong province, said they have intercepted 217 metric tons of illegally imported solid waste. The officers said they checked 10 containers of goods declared as steelmaking accelerators after they found irregularities during X-ray scans. The contents of the containers were identified as a mixture of molten slag, dross and other materials, which fall in the category of banned solid waste.

YUNNAN

Police seize 17.5 kg of heroin in Kunming

Police in Yunnan province announced on Thursday that they have broken up a large drug-smuggling ring, with 14 suspects apprehended and 17.5 kilograms of heroin seized. After receiving a tip in early August about drug-dealing activities around Kunming, the provincial capital, police in Zhenxiong county established an investigative task force. Police arrested four suspects in downtown Kunming late last month and seized 3.5 kg of heroin. Following a lead, police then apprehended 10 more suspects and seized 14 kg of heroin in the city on Oct 13. All 14 suspects are under criminal detention, and further investigation is underway.

Xinhua