Author: Gist Correspondent

Chinese authorities have executed 11 members of the Ming family, a powerful clan accused of running large-scale fraud and gambling operations from Myanmar, state media have reported.

The executions followed convictions handed down by a court in Zhejiang province in September, which found the family members guilty of crimes including fraud, homicide, illegal detention and operating gambling centres.

The Ming family was among several clans that once controlled Laukkaing, a town near the China–Myanmar border. Under their influence, the once-remote settlement was turned into a thriving hub of casinos, scam centres and red-light districts.

Their operations collapsed in 2023 after ethnic militias seized control of Laukkaing amid Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict and handed the suspects over to Chinese authorities.

For years, scam syndicates operating from Myanmar had lured or trafficked thousands of Chinese nationals into fraud compounds, where victims were allegedly detained and forced to carry out online scams targeting people overseas.

Public outrage in China intensified last year following reports of Chinese citizens being deceived with fake job offers and trafficked to scam centres in Myanmar, heightening pressure on authorities to act.

China’s Supreme People’s Court said the Ming family’s criminal network generated more than 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion) between 2015 and 2023. The court rejected their appeals in November, noting that their crimes led to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to several others.