BEIJING: China on Thursday executed 11 individuals linked to criminal gangs operating in Myanmar, including “key members” involved in large-scale telecom scams, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The executions were carried out by a court in Wenzhou, in eastern China, which had sentenced the accused to death in September 2025.
The death sentences were subsequently approved by the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing, following investigations into crimes committed since 2015.
Among those executed were members of the “Ming family criminal group”, whose activities reportedly contributed to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to numerous others.
The convicts’ crimes included intentional homicide, intentional injury, unlawful detention, fraud, and operating illegal casinos, Xinhua reported. Relatives of the executed were reportedly allowed to meet them before the executions were carried out.
The fraud compounds in Myanmar have thrived in lawless border areas, forming part of a multibillion-dollar illicit industry. Many centers are staffed by foreigners, including Chinese nationals, who have reportedly been trafficked and forced to participate in online scams and gambling operations.
China has stepped up cooperation with Southeast Asian nations to crack down on such compounds. In 2025 alone, the Chinese Public Security Ministry reported that over 7,600 Chinese nationals suspected of online gambling and telecom fraud were repatriated from Myawaddy, a town on the Myanmar-Thailand border.
The Wenzhou court found the evidence against the executed individuals “conclusive and sufficient,” underscoring Beijing’s resolve to combat cross-border fraud and protect Chinese citizens.
