This is the moment a convicted drug kingpin’s three-storey vineyard mansion is demolished by authorities in China after he was sentenced to death last year.
Drug enforcement officials in the town of Chentuan, which is in Liuzhou City in China’s southern Guangxi region, tore down the lavish 21,500-square-foot home of drug lord Zhang Jia’ai today (17th March).
Zhang, who was the leader of an organised crime gang specialising in the manufacturing and trafficking of illicit substances, is awaiting a death sentence handed to him on 18th December 2019.
His notorious mansion lies on the outskirts of town and was completed in 2017. The home, along with all his assets, were seized on 18th June last year.
The marble home filled with rare and exotic wooden furniture came with a pool, fish pond, indoor karaoke room, pavilion and Roman columns.
It famously overlooked a large vineyard which shielded much of his and his gang’s illegal activities, which police say began in 2008.
The kingpin’s arrest came on 4th October 2018 after a year-long investigation into two gang-related incidents the year before.
The home of convicted drug kingpin Zhang Jia’ai demolished 
The home of convicted drug kingpin Zhang Jia’ai demolished
Along with 12 others including his henchman Qin Chuntuan, Zhang was detained for serious injuries caused to more than 40 people in separate bar fights on 23rd April and 3rd June 2017.
The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of 128 people and the seizure of more than 5.25 million RMB (600,000 GBP) in cash as of May 2019.
Authorities also confiscated 51 vehicles, 20 homes and frozen more than 200 bank accounts.
Zhang was charged with the manufacturing and sale of prohibited substances including amphetamine and heroin.
At his first trial at Liuzhou Intermediate People’s Court, Zhang was found guilty of over 10 charges, including crime syndicate involvement, drug trafficking offences and graft.
He was sentenced to death and stripped of all his political rights.
His henchman Qin was given 25 years.
A date for his execution has not been announced.
Zhang Jia’ai sentenced to death in December 2019 
Zhang Jia’ai
The home of drug kingpin Zhang Jia’ai 
Authorities demolish the home of convicted drug kingpin Zhang Jia’ai
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Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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