Eighteen people on Monday were given jail terms ranging from one to 20 years in a sweeping crackdown on organized crime in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a local court said.

The Rongchang County People's Court sentenced ringleader Xia Ping to 20 years in prison after convicting her of leading a mafia-style ring, gambling, false imprisonment, extortion, robbery and illegal gun possession.

Xia was also fined 2.1 million yuan (307,520 U.S. dollars) and deprived of political rights for two years in the first-instance trial.

Other 17 ring members were sentenced to one to 18 years in prison.

Xia and Leng Mingquan, who is on the run, opened a casino in 2004 and recruited more than 30 ring members.

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