Beijing, June. 27 (PTI): A model policeman-turned-drug baron was sentenced to death while his five accomplices got varying jail terms in southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

This is the latest in China's efforts to crush growing cross-border narcotics trade.

Liu Zhaohua, 42, was sentenced by the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court yesterday, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

He was convicted of producing methamphetamine, commonly known as ice and selling it in collusion with others making a profit of more than USD four million appraoximately.

Liu's accomplice Guo Ruirong was sentenced to death with a reprieve, while four others, including Liu's wife Li Xiaoqing, who sheltered Liu from the police, received jail terms ranging from two and a half to five years.

Born to a poor family in the Saiqi township in east China's Fujian Province, Liu was given a police award for outstanding service in 1990.

But in 1996, he built a three-storey building in his hometown and started manufacturing drugs.

Police began hunting for Liu in 1999 and offered a reward USD 25,000 for clues to Liu's whereabouts. He was caught in March last year on his 40th birthday.

Chinese police had last year extradited from neighbouring countries or arrested from border areas, atleast 37 Chinese nationals wanted as suspected leaders of drug trafficking rings, the Ministry of Public Security said.