China has executed 11 members of a notorious family that ran scam centres in Myanmar, state media report.
A court in Zhejiang province sentenced the Ming family members for crimes including homicide, illegal detention, fraud, and operating gambling dens last September.
The Ming family was one of several clans that transformed Myanmar's sleepy town of Laukkaing, close to the border with China, into a hub of casinos and red-light districts.
Their criminal enterprises came crashing down in 2023 when they were detained and handed over to China by ethnic militias that had taken control of Laukkaing amidst ongoing civil strife.
These scam operations have trapped thousands of Chinese workers over the years, with many trafficked into these compounds and forced to commit fraud against people overseas. A viral incident last year, involving a small-time Chinese actor taken to a scam centre in Myanmar, heightened frustrations in Beijing, which had been demanding that Myanmar's junta take action against these crime syndicates.
Ultimately, the Ming mafia's downfall stemmed from an escalation in the junta's conflict with ethnic armies.
Between 2015 and 2023, the Ming family's operations generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), according to China's highest court, which rejected their appeals in November.
Their actions reportedly resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others.
