A Chinese court has sentenced 11 people to death for their roles in a family-run crime syndicate that operated illegal gambling and scam operations in Myanmar, worth over $1.4bn. The Wenzhou intermediate people's court handed down the sentences on Monday, with another five defendants receiving suspended death sentences, which are often commuted to life imprisonment.
The syndicate, led by the Ming family in Kokang, Myanmar, was accused of using armed force to run multiple scam compounds. The court alleged the group killed 14 people, including ten fraud workers who attempted to escape or disobeyed orders. In one incident in October 2023, the accused allegedly opened fire to prevent workers from being repatriated to China.
China issued arrest warrants for four Ming family members in November 2023 on suspicion of fraud, murder, and illegal detention. The crackdown is part of broader efforts to combat scam centres in Southeast Asia, which the UN estimates generate $40bn annually. In February, joint operations by China, Myanmar, and Thailand led to the release of over 7,000 workers, mostly Chinese citizens.
