China Carries Out Executions of Myanmar Mafia Members Amidst Crackdown on Scams

China has executed four members of the Bai family mafia, one of the notorious dynasties that ran scam centres in Myanmar, as reported by state media.

These individuals were among 21 family members and associates convicted of serious crimes, including fraud and homicide, by a court in Guangdong province.

Last November, the court sentenced five of them to death, including the clan's patriarch, Bai Suocheng, who passed away from illness shortly after his conviction.

Last week, China executed 11 members of the Ming family mafia, continuing its offensive against scam operations that have ensnared thousands of Chinese victims across Southeast Asia.

The Bais, Mings, and several other criminal families dominated the border town of Laukkaing in Myanmar, where they operated casinos and ran cyber-scam activities. With their own militias, the Bais maintained control over the area and engaged in violent practices.

Their criminal enterprises resulted in multiple deaths, including the murder of six Chinese nationals and a series of assaults, which drew scrutiny from Chinese authorities. In response to the ongoing scams and their aftereffects, China heightened its judicial actions against these crime networks.

The Bai family rose to prominence in Laukkaing during the early 2000s, aligning with the region's military leadership to consolidate their power.

However, their reign came to an abrupt end in recent years as Beijing grew impatient with the Myanmar military's inaction against these criminal enterprises. This led to a military offensive by ethnic insurgents, significantly changing the power dynamics in Myanmar.

The crackdown on these criminal families is seen as an effort by the Chinese government to assert its authority and deter potential scammers, underlining a broader initiative to combat organized crime affecting many in their region.

Estimates by the United Nations suggest that hundreds of thousands have been trafficked for online scams in Myanmar and surrounding areas, with a significant number of victims and perpetrators originating from China.