Chinese Court Sentences 11 Mafia Family Members to Death for Criminal Activities

Thu Oct 16 2025 22:17:43 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant crackdown, a Chinese court has handed down death sentences to 11 members of the Ming family, notorious for operating scam and drug trafficking centers in Myanmar.

The Ming family, involved in extensive criminal operations including telecommunications fraud and illegal gambling, faced severe legal repercussions as a Chinese court sentenced 39 members, with 11 receiving death penalties. Their activities resulted in substantial financial losses and even deaths among workers at their scam centers, drawing attention for China's commitment to combat organized crime.

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 the sleepy town of Laukkai, close to the China-Myanmar border, into a hub for gambling, drugs, and scams.

Myanmar authorities cracked down on these organizations in 2023, resulting in the arrest of many family members who were then handed over to China.

A total of 39 Ming family members were sentenced on Monday in the eastern city of Wenzhou, with 11 receiving death sentences outright, while others received various sentences including life imprisonment or jail terms ranging from five to 24 years.

Since 2015, the Ming family and accomplices engaged in a wide array of criminal activities including telecommunications fraud, illegal casinos, drug trafficking, and prostitution, collectively generating over 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion).

Allegations against them also include responsibility for the deaths of several scam centre workers.

Initially developed to exploit illegal gambling in China, Laukkai's casinos evolved into fronts for a vast criminal underworld, adversely impacting thousands, including victims ensnared in a burgeoning scam industry.

This development signals China's resolve to tackle cross-border crime, as more than 100,000 foreign nationals were noted to have been exploited in scam operations in the region.

The crackdown on the Ming family marks a significant step in a broader effort to address organized crime along the border, despite the operations shifting to Cambodia and still prevailing in Myanmar.