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A Chinese court has handed down death sentences to several leading members of an infamous Burmese mafia to capital punishment as Beijing continues its crackdown on scam activities in South East Asia.

Overall, twenty-one clan figures and partners were found guilty of scams, homicide, injury and various crimes, said a state media document released on the court website.

The group is one of a small number of mafias that rose to power in the last two decades and transformed the impoverished remote area of Laukkaing into a lucrative base of gambling establishments and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they pivoted to scams in which numerous of smuggled people, several of them Chinese, are caught, abused and compelled to cheat victims in illegal activities valued at billions.

Specifics of the Judgment

Mafia boss Bai Suocheng and his son Bai Yingcang were among the five figures condemned to execution by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. Another individual, A third figure and A fourth person were the other three sentenced.

Two individuals of the Bai family mafia were handed conditional death penalties. Five were sentenced to life in prison, while additional individuals were handed jail terms ranging from three to 20 years.

The clan, who controlled their own armed group, established 41 compounds to accommodate their digital scam activities and casinos, officials reported.

Magnitude of Criminal Activities

Such criminal activities entailed over 29 billion Chinese yuan ($4.1bn; £3.1 billion). They also caused the fatalities of six from China nationals, the self-inflicted death of one and numerous injuries, official sources reported.

The harsh sentences delivered by the judicial body are a component of China's effort to eliminate the extensive scam operations in Southeast Asia - and issue a strong warning to further unlawful groups.

Background of the Groups

These clans became dominant in the 2000s with the support of Min Aung Hlaing - who is in charge of Myanmar's military government. The leader had aimed to prop up associates in the town after removing its former leader.

Within the groups, the this family were "absolutely number one", the son previously told official sources.

Back then, our Bai family was the most powerful in both the government and military spheres," the individual stated in a documentary about the clan, broadcast on official channels in the summer.

In the same report, a employee at their their scam centres narrated the harm he had experienced there: besides being hit, he had his fingernails removed with pliers and a couple of his digits amputated with a blade.

More Accusations

The son is included in those who were sentenced to death this week. The individual has also been independently convicted of organizing to trade and produce 11 tonnes of illegal drugs, official sources reported.

Downfall of the Groups

The families' downfall happened in last year as circumstances shifted.

Previously Chinese authorities has urged the local government to rein in fraudulent operations in Laukkaing.

In 2023, the law enforcement announced legal actions for the most prominent figures of such families.

The patriarch, the Bai family's patriarch, was among the warlords who were extradited to China from Myanmar in recent months.

For what reason is the Chinese government making significant resources to pursue the four families?" a official stated in the July film.

This serves as a warning individuals, regardless of your identity, your location, if you commit such heinous offenses affecting the citizens, you will be held accountable."