China has executed 11 members of a crime syndicate accused of running large-scale scam operations and illegal casinos across Southeast Asia. Authorities said the group made at least 10 billion yuan, or about $1.4 billion, over several years.
The group, known as the Ming mafia family, was based in Laukkia township in northern Myanmar, near the Chinese border. The area is known for casinos, red-light districts, and fortified scam compounds.
According to Chinese officials, the family controlled a major operation called Crouching Tiger Villa. Victims were trafficked to the site and forced to carry out online scams targeting people overseas.
The syndicate operated between 2015 and 2023 before its members were detained in 2023. Arrests followed a military push by China-backed ethnic militia groups that retook control of the region.
The group’s leader, Ming Xuechang, also served as head of the local police force. He reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot after Chinese authorities issued arrest warrants.
A Chinese court sentenced 11 Ming family members to death last September. The charges included fraud, illegal detention, and homicide, with court records linking the group to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens.
In total, 39 members of the family were convicted. Sentences ranged from five-year prison terms to life imprisonment, depending on each person’s role.
The executions are part of China’s wider campaign against scam centers operating along the borders of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. Authorities say more trials are ongoing, and additional crime bosses are expected to face sentencing as the crackdown continues.
Follow on Google News
