China's Crackdown: 11 Mafia Family Members Sentenced to Death

Fri Oct 03 2025 02:47:02 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant legal action, a Chinese court has sentenced 11 members of the Ming family, notorious for their involvement in organized crime linked to gambling and scams in Myanmar, to death. This ruling comes in the wake of a broader crackdown on illegitimate operations exploiting vulnerable workers in Southeast Asia.

A Chinese court has sentenced 11 members of the Ming family, involved in major criminal activities including scam operations and drug trafficking in Myanmar, to death. This comes as part of a crackdown on organized crime, revealing the harsh realities of a network that has ensnared thousands of workers into exploitative conditions. The ruling reflects China's commitment to combatting such crimes, which have significant ramifications within its borders and beyond.

A Chinese court has sentenced to death 11 members of a notorious family that ran scam centres in Myanmar, according to Chinese state media.

Dozens of members of the Ming family were found guilty of conducting criminal activities, with many receiving lengthy jail sentences.

The Ming family worked for one of the four clans that turned Myanmar's Laukkai, a town near the Chinese border, into a hub for gambling, drugs, and scams.

In a crackdown earlier this year, Myanmar arrested many members of these families and subsequently handed them over to Chinese authorities.

A total of 39 Ming family members were sentenced on Monday in Wenzhou, with 11 receiving death sentences, five getting death sentences with a two-year suspension, and 11 jailed for life. Others received sentences ranging from five to 24 years.

The court found that since 2015, the Ming family and other criminal groups engaged in telecommunications fraud, illegal casinos, drug trafficking, and prostitution, generating over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion).

These operations were part of what the UN has termed the scamdemic, which involved over 100,000 foreign nationals, predominantly Chinese, who were lured to scam centres and forced to work under harsh conditions.

The Ming family had previously held significant power in Myanmar’s Shan State, operating scam centres that held at least 10,000 workers, including a notorious compound known for abuse.

Following a military offensive two years ago that drove the Myanmar military from Shan State, the Ming family's influence waned, culminating in these convictions. With these sentences, China signals its determination to address cross-border organized crime and prevent similar operations from returning.