Three kidnappers were sentenced to life in prison and 15 others were handed down varying sentences Tuesday in southwest China's Yunnan Province for abducting and trafficking in women and children.

Geng Zhucun was accused of abducting Xiaobing, the three-year-old son of a mentally handicapped woman, and selling him to Lu Zhaoyuan for 12,000 yuan (1,757 US dollars) in May 2008. Lu then sold Xiaobing to Wang Qiongfen for 17,000 yuan, who later sold the boy to a family in the eastern Shandong Province for 40,000 yuan.

Geng Zhucun, Ao Xianyue and Lu Zhaoyuan were also accused of abducting and selling six other children, ranging from a one-year-old to 15 years.

The trio were sentenced to life terms and fined 80,000 yuan each, the Qujing Municipal Intermediate People's court ruling said.

Wang Qiongfen was sentenced to 15 years in jail and fined 40,000 yuan.

Another 14 people were sentenced to prison terms of between three to 15 years in jail.

Seven children and a woman who had been abducted were rescued by police between April and May 2008. The police traveled more than 20,000 kilometers across four provinces and captured 18 suspects.

(Xinhua News Agency August 26, 2009)