China court sentences 11 members of Myanmar-based crime syndicate to death

Five other people received death sentences suspended for two years, which are usually reduced to life imprisonment. Another 12 defendants were given prison terms ranging from five to 24 years.

Chinese authorities issued arrest warrants for members of the Ming family in November 2023 on charges of fraud, murder and illegal detention. According to the court, the syndicate’s operations led to the deaths of 10 workers and injuries to two others who tried to escape.

The court statement said the group forced trafficked workers to carry out online scams, including romance-related investment fraud, as part of a wider network across Southeast Asia.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that such scam centres in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia make up a global industry worth about $40 billion a year.

AP reported that Chinese police have been working with authorities in neighbouring countries to tackle the issue. In February, joint pressure from China, Myanmar and Thailand led to the release of more than 7,000 workers, most of them Chinese citizens, from scam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border.