In a significant crackdown, China has executed 11 members of a notorious family responsible for running scam centers in Myanmar, according to state media reports. The executions were carried out following a court ruling in Zhejiang province that sentenced the Ming family members for gruesome crimes, including homicide, illegal detention, and fraud.
Located near the Chinese border, the family transformed the once-sleepy town of Laukkaing into a bustling hub of casinos and red-light districts, thriving on illegal activities. Their scam operations reportedly trapped thousands of Chinese workers who were trafficked to these centers and forced into scamming people overseas.
The Ming family's reign ended in 2023 when they were captured and subsequently handed over to Chinese authorities by ethnic militias amid the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar. This intervention occurred as Myanmar's military faced intensifying challenges from ethnic armies demanding greater autonomy and opposing the military's control.
Last year, stories about human trafficking pains surfaced in China, leading to public outcry for action against such mafia operations. The Ming family's activities are believed to have generated over 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion) between 2015 and 2023, with reports indicating that their crimes contributed to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others.
The escalating conflict in Myanmar ultimately led to the downfall of the Ming mafia, with their extensive operations forcing the Chinese government to intervene vigorously against such organized crime syndicates.
