China sentences 11 mafias to death over Myanmar scam operations
What's the story
A Chinese court has sentenced 11 members of the notorious Ming family to death for their involvement in a Myanmar-based crime syndicate. The family-run crime syndicate was accused of running online scams and illegal gambling operations worth over $1.4 billion. The Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court announced the verdicts on Monday, with those sentenced including Ming Guoping, Ming Zhenzhen, and Zhou Weichang, among others.
Legal proceedings
Five other defendants were given death sentences suspended
Five other defendants were given death sentences, suspended for two years, which are usually commuted to life imprisonment. Twelve more people were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 24 years. The syndicate's operations led to the deaths of 14 people, including 10 involved in fraud who tried to escape or disobeyed the management. In November 2023, China issued arrest warrants for four members of the Ming family on suspicion of fraud, murder, and illegal detention.
Uncovering
Removing the lid from operations
A report by The Guardian quoted the court saying that the syndicate had "financial backers," to whom it provided armed protection. The court determined that the syndicate had "relied on armed force" to establish multiple compounds in Kokang, a region in Myanmar that borders China. It also cited an incident in October 2023, when the accused allegedly "opened fire" on people at a scam compound to prevent them from being transferred back to China.
Industry impact
China has been working with neighboring countries to crack down
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that scam centers in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia are part of a global industry worth about $40 billion annually. Trafficked workers are forced to conduct romance-based investment scams. It warned that Chinese and south-east Asian gangs are raking in tens of billions of dollars a year through cyber scam centers. In February, joint efforts by China, Myanmar, and Thailand freed over 7,000 workers from scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border.