China Executes 11 Members of Notorious Myanmar Mafia Family
China has executed 11 members of the Ming family, a notorious mafia clan that operated scam centers in Myanmar along its north-eastern border, according to state media reports. The executions mark a significant step in Beijing's efforts to dismantle cross-border criminal networks that have plagued the region.
Sentencing and Crimes of the Ming Family
The Ming family members were sentenced in September by a court in China's Zhejiang province for a range of serious offenses. These included homicide, illegal detention, fraud, and operating gambling dens. Their criminal activities spanned from 2015 to 2023, during which they amassed over 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion) from scam operations and gambling dens, as confirmed by China's highest court.
The court also noted that their crimes resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others. In addition to the executions, more than 20 other members of the Ming family received jail sentences in September, ranging from five years to life imprisonment.
Rise and Fall of the Ming Mafia Empire
The Mings were part of a handful of powerful families that transformed Laukkaing, an impoverished backwater town in Myanmar, into a flashy hub of casinos and red-light districts. They rose to prominence in the early 2000s after the town's then warlord was ousted in a military operation led by Min Aung Hlaing, who later became the leader of Myanmar's military government following the 2021 coup.
Initially, gambling and prostitution were their main income sources, but they eventually shifted to online fraud. This scam empire was largely staffed by individuals who were kidnapped and forced to run these operations. Within the well-guarded compounds, a culture of violence prevailed, with beatings and torture being routine, as per testimonies from freed workers.
Downfall and Broader Implications
The Ming family's downfall began in 2023 when they were detained and handed over to China by ethnic militias that had taken control of Laukkaing during an escalation in their conflict with Myanmar's army. Ming Xuechang, the clan's patriarch, reportedly killed himself while trying to avoid detention.
With these executions, Beijing is sending a strong message of deterrence to would-be scammers. However, the scam business has since relocated to other areas, such as Myanmar's border with Thailand, and to Cambodia and Laos, where China has much less influence. According to UN estimates, hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked to run online scams in Myanmar and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, with many victims and perpetrators being Chinese.
Ongoing Crackdown and Future Trials
The Ming family members are the first Myanmar scam bosses to be executed by China, but they will not be the last. In November, five members of the Bai family were also sentenced to death, and trials for two other groups from the Wei and Liu families are still pending. The Ming family's trial was held behind closed doors, although over 160 people, including victims' families, attended their sentencing hearing last year.
Chinese authorities have aired confessions of those arrested in state media documentaries to emphasize their resolve to eradicate scam networks. This crackdown comes amid Beijing's frustration with the Myanmar military's refusal to stop the scam business, from which it was likely profiting. In late 2023, China tacitly backed an offensive by an ethnic insurgent alliance in Shan State, which captured significant territory and overran Laukkaing.
