Two leaders of a gang in central China's Henan Province have been sentenced to death for organizing AIDS patients and underage young people to transport and trade drugs totaling over 3,000 grams.

Kaifeng Intermediate People's Court sentenced Liu Fucheng to death and Han Quanzhong to death with two years' reprieve, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.

Another 15 members were jailed to more than three years, the report said.

The court said investigators found Liu and Han organized more than 10 AIDS patients to transport 1,920 grams of heroin from July 2006 to January 2007, according to the report.

Liu's wife Yang Junli was also jailed for laundering money from the drug trade by buying an apartment and insurance for family members.