What's next, the death penalty for unregistered crypto? No doubt Swinestein plans to introduce her own version of this in Amerika. --Tim # Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 6:43:53 PST # # TAIPEI, Nov 24 (AFP) - Taiwan brought in new heavy penalties # Monday to curb illegal firearm possession in an effort to tackle a # rising crime wave here. # Under an amended law effective from Monday anyone caught # manufacturing, selling or transporting illegal firearms faces the # death penalty. Previously the law stipulated a maximum penalty of # seven years jail. # The move comes just five days after the island's most wanted # fugitive gave himself up to police. # "The amened law is expected to emerge as a deterrent force to # effectively keep at bay illegal holding of firearms," President Lee # Teng-hui said. # In the past, nearly 80 percent of offenders under the law faced # only 18 months jail and were often released on parole after serving # a third of their sentence, official statistics show.