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 ran Myanmar's sleepy backwater town of Laukkai, close to the border with China, and turned it into a hub for gambling, drugs, and scam centres. Myanmar ultimately cracked down, arresting many family members in 2023 and surrendering them to Chinese authorities.
A total of 39 Ming family members received sentences on Monday in the eastern city of Wenzhou, as reported by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Besides the 11 members who received death sentences, another five were sentenced to death with two-year suspensions; 11 received life sentences, while others were handed jail terms ranging from five to 24 years.
The court found that since 2015, the Ming family and other criminal groups engaged in activities including telecommunications fraud, illegal casinos, drug trafficking, and prostitution. Their operations reportedly generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion; £1 billion) and have led to various deaths among workers at scam centers.
Once a powerful entity in Myanmar's Shan State, the Ming family oversaw numerous scam centers, particularly notorious ones like Crouching Tiger Villa, where many workers faced abuse. The family's downfall is attributed to a military offensive that liberated large areas of Shan State, supported by China. The patriarch, Ming Xuechang, reportedly committed suicide; others have been handed over to the police.
With this verdict, China aims to demonstrate its intent to take strict measures against the scam industry along its borders, having previously pressured neighboring countries like Thailand to combat such operations. Despite these developments, aspects of this illicit industry continue to thrive, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar.
The Ming family worked for one of the four clans that ran Myanmar's sleepy backwater town of Laukkai, close to the border with China, and turned it into a hub for gambling, drugs, and scam centres. Myanmar ultimately cracked down, arresting many family members in 2023 and surrendering them to Chinese authorities.
A total of 39 Ming family members received sentences on Monday in the eastern city of Wenzhou, as reported by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Besides the 11 members who received death sentences, another five were sentenced to death with two-year suspensions; 11 received life sentences, while others were handed jail terms ranging from five to 24 years.
The court found that since 2015, the Ming family and other criminal groups engaged in activities including telecommunications fraud, illegal casinos, drug trafficking, and prostitution. Their operations reportedly generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion; £1 billion) and have led to various deaths among workers at scam centers.
Once a powerful entity in Myanmar's Shan State, the Ming family oversaw numerous scam centers, particularly notorious ones like Crouching Tiger Villa, where many workers faced abuse. The family's downfall is attributed to a military offensive that liberated large areas of Shan State, supported by China. The patriarch, Ming Xuechang, reportedly committed suicide; others have been handed over to the police.
With this verdict, China aims to demonstrate its intent to take strict measures against the scam industry along its borders, having previously pressured neighboring countries like Thailand to combat such operations. Despite these developments, aspects of this illicit industry continue to thrive, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar.
