A Chinese court has sentenced a Canadian to death on charges of manufacturing the drug ketamine.
A court notice in Guangzhou said Xu Weihong was found guilty after his trial. Also, his alleged accomplice, Wen Guanxiong, was given a life sentence.
Details of the case were not disclosed. He happens to be the third Canadian to be sentenced to death in China recently.
Relationship between Canada and China have ebbed after the arrest of a Huawei Executive, Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver in late 2018.
Meng Wanzhou’s detention after a request from the United States infuriated China and crashed its ties with both Canada and the US.
Local media in Guangzhou reported that Xu Weihong and Wen Guanxiong started producing the drug in October 2016. Later, police later seized 120kgs (266 pounds) of the drug from Mr Xu’s home and another location.
Ketamine is a potent animal tranquilizer that has gained popularity as a recreational drug.
While talking about the death sentence, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said the sentence was not connected with the case and the current state of China-Canada relations.
Wenbin said: “I would like to stress that China’s judicial authorities handle the relevant case independently in strict accordance with Chinese law and legal procedures. Death sentences for drug-related crimes that are extremely dangerous will help deter and prevent such crimes.”
