In order to fulfil a banned tradition, a man in China with Down's syndrome was kidnapped and killed before his body was swapped with another.

The elaborate scheme was part of a wealthy family's ploy to circumvent a regional law barring burials.

According to the BBC, the family — who live in Shanwei city in Guangdong province — hired someone to procure them a body to be substituted in during the cremation process.

However, while they thought that he would get the body of someone already dead, the man — surnamed Huang — instead went out and killed someone.

Forced to drink alcohol, sealed in a coffin

Newsweek reported that Huang was paid RMB107,000 (S$21,900) to fulfil the man's dying wish for a traditional burial.

He came across his victim — surnamed Lin — on Mar. 1, 2017.

Lin, who lived with a mental disability, was lured into a car by Huang, and forced to drink alcohol until he passed out.

He was then driven to a predetermined location where he was killed and placed into a coffin which was then sealed with four nails according to Newsweek.

Lin's coffin was then swapped with that of the family's relative and sent to the crematorium.

The family's relative was then given a tradition burial at a secret location.

A suspended two-year sentence

Huang was caught in 2019; investigators solved Lin's disappearance with the help of traffic cameras.

He was given a two-year suspended death sentence, which according to the BBC means that if he does not reoffend in the next two years, his sentence will be commuted to life in prison.

Huang appealed his sentence, but it was upheld in a December 2020 ruling.

The family who hired Huang were found guilty of "insulting a corpse", though they avoided a prison sentence.

Families in China prefer traditional burials as it is associated with filial piety, reported the BBC.

However, authorities have been trying to discourage the practice to save land and avoid extravagant ceremonies.

Top image from Weibo via Newsweek and Pavel Danilyuk via Pexels