China executed 11 individuals linked to illicit online scam operations based in Myanmar, according to reports from state media agency Xinhua on Thursday. These sentences were carried out following approvals from the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing, which deemed the evidence against the group conclusive regarding crimes dating back to 2015.
The executed individuals formed part of the “Ming family criminal group,” whose activities resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to numerous others, Xinhua detailed. The court in Wenzhou also levied death sentences with two-year reprieves upon five others, alongside prison terms for an additional 23 defendants in the same case.
These syndicates specialize in sophisticated online fraud, including romance and cryptocurrency scams, primarily targeting Chinese speakers initially but expanding globally. The operations flourish within unregulated border areas of Southeast Asia, often exploiting weak governance and armed conflict zones within Myanmar.
Experts suggest that these compounds are frequently controlled by Chinese-led criminal organizations collaborating with local militias, who benefit financially from the ongoing instability. While Myanmar’s military administration has publicly intensified crackdowns since February following pressure from Beijing, monitors suggest some raids may serve as political theater rather than substantive disruption.
This move follows previous direct action, as Chinese authorities in November sentenced five others to death for similar crimes in Myanmar’s Kokang region, which caused six Chinese casualties. Beijing continues to press regional partners, including Thailand and Myanmar, to repatriate suspects for prosecution.
The scope of these operations is vast, with the United Nations estimating up to 120,000 individuals may be trapped working in these scam centers across Myanmar alone. Similar facilities are estimated to hold 100,000 people in Cambodia, indicating a significant transnational organized crime challenge.
The proliferation of these scams, which generate tens of billions of dollars annually, has drawn international attention, leading to coordinated sanctions. In October, the United States and the United Kingdom imposed measures against the Cambodia-based Prince Group network for its role in regional scam infrastructure.
