Wu Zhen, former deputy head of the China Food and Drug Administration, was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined one million yuan (USD $142,440) for taking bribes and abusing power, Chengdu Intermediate People's Court in Sichuan province announced in a ruling on Friday morning.

Wu took bribes with a total worth of 21.71 million yuan directly or through his relatives, the court heard. All of his illegal gains have been confiscated by the country.

From 1996 to 2018, Wu took advantage of his positions as director of the Jiangxi provincial drug supervision and administration bureau and deputy head of the former China Food and Drug Administration to provide assistance for related entities and individuals in matters of drug approval and employment.