China has executed 11 members of a notorious family that ran scam centers 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 ran Myanmar's sleepy town of Laukkaing, close to the border with China. Under their rule, the impoverished backwater was transformed into a flashy hub of casinos and red-light districts.
Their scam empires came crashing down in 2023 when they were detained and handed over to China by ethnic militias that had taken control of Laukkaing amidst the ongoing civil war.
The scam operations in Myanmar have trapped thousands of Chinese workers over the years, many of whom were trafficked into these compounds, where they were forced to scam people overseas. Last year, the Chinese internet saw a viral search concerning a small-time actor who was lured to a scam center instead of an acting gig. Stories like these fueled frustrations in Beijing, which had long demanded that Myanmar's junta rein in the scam mafia.
Ultimately, the Ming mafia's fall came after escalation in conflict between the junta and ethnic armies. Their operations reportedly generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion; £1 billion) from 2015 to 2023, with their crimes resulting in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to others, as confirmed by the court.
The Ming family was one of several clans that ran Myanmar's sleepy town of Laukkaing, close to the border with China. Under their rule, the impoverished backwater was transformed into a flashy hub of casinos and red-light districts.
Their scam empires came crashing down in 2023 when they were detained and handed over to China by ethnic militias that had taken control of Laukkaing amidst the ongoing civil war.
The scam operations in Myanmar have trapped thousands of Chinese workers over the years, many of whom were trafficked into these compounds, where they were forced to scam people overseas. Last year, the Chinese internet saw a viral search concerning a small-time actor who was lured to a scam center instead of an acting gig. Stories like these fueled frustrations in Beijing, which had long demanded that Myanmar's junta rein in the scam mafia.
Ultimately, the Ming mafia's fall came after escalation in conflict between the junta and ethnic armies. Their operations reportedly generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion; £1 billion) from 2015 to 2023, with their crimes resulting in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to others, as confirmed by the court.
