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One China's judicial body has handed down death sentences to a group of leading figures of a well-known Burmese mafia to capital punishment as Chinese authorities continues its crackdown on scam networks in South East Asia.

Altogether, 21 clan figures and partners were found guilty of scams, homicide, injury and other offenses, stated a official document released on the judicial portal.

The family is among a handful of mafias that gained influence in the early 2000s and transformed the poor isolated region of the town into a lucrative hub of gambling establishments and nightlife areas.

Over the past few years they shifted to scams in which thousands of illegally moved workers, a large number of them Chinese, are trapped, harmed and compelled to scam victims in unlawful enterprises worth billions.

Information of the Judgment

Mafia boss Bai Suocheng and his son the younger Bai were included in the five figures given to execution by the court in Shenzhen. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the other three punished.

Two figures of the Bai family syndicate were received delayed executions. Several were given to life imprisonment, while additional individuals were given prison sentences varying from three to 20 years.

The Bais, who controlled their own private army, set up 41 compounds to host their digital scam operations and casinos, officials said.

Magnitude of Criminal Schemes

These unlawful operations included more than 29bn local currency (over four billion dollars; £3.1 billion). They also resulted in the deaths of six from China nationals, the self-inflicted death of an individual and multiple injuries, reports reported.

The strict sentences issued by the judicial body are part of China's effort to eliminate the vast fraud rings in South East Asia - and deliver a firm signal to additional criminal organizations.

History of the Families

Such groups gained influence in the 2000s with the support of Min Aung Hlaing - who is in charge of Myanmar's regime. The leader had intended to bolster partners in the town after replacing its former warlord.

Within the families, the this family were "absolutely number one", the son before stated to official sources.

"At that time, the clan was the dominant in each of the government and armed circles," the individual stated in a documentary about the clan, broadcast on official channels in July.

In the same report, a worker at a fraud facilities narrated the abuse he had endured there: in addition to being assaulted, he had his fingernails extracted with instruments and a couple of his fingers cut off with a blade.

More Accusations

The son is among those who were given to execution recently. The individual has additionally been separately sentenced of planning to traffic and manufacture 11 tonnes of methamphetamine, reports announced.

Downfall of the Clans

Their end happened in last year as political winds altered.

For years Chinese authorities has encouraged the Myanmar junta to limit scam operations in Laukkaing.

In 2023, the authorities released legal actions for the key members of these families.

The patriarch, the Bai family's head, was among the figures who were handed to Beijing from the country in early 2024.

"Why is the state putting such extensive work to pursue the clans?" a Chinese investigator stated in the summer film.

"It's to warn individuals, no matter who you are, your location, as long as you carry out such terrible offenses against the nationals, you will face consequences."