China Executes 11 Convicted Criminals in Crackdown on Myanmar-Based Scam Networks

Beijing: china has executed 11 individuals convicted of running vast gambling and online scam operations linked to Myanmar, in a move underscoring Beijing’s hardline approach to combating transnational Fraud and illicit financial crimes.

According to the Associated Press, the convicted individuals were found guilty of killing 14 Chinese nationals and operating criminal enterprises worth more than $1 billion, primarily through illegal gambling platforms and sophisticated scam networks.

The executions were confirmed on Thursday by the Wenzhou Intermediate People’s Court, which said the sentences were carried out after the defendants’ appeals were formally rejected.

The court had handed down death sentences to the group in September. While the defendants challenged the verdicts, court records show that their appeals were denied in November, a decision that was not publicly disclosed at the time.

Among those executed were Ming Guoping and Ming Zhenzhen, members of the Ming family, whom the court identified as the principal organisers behind the gambling and scam syndicates. The court also named Wu Hongming, Luo Jianzhang, and Zhou Weichang as key figures who played major operational roles within the networks.

According to judicial findings, the criminal groups operated across borders, using bases in Myanmar to evade Chinese law enforcement while targeting victims inside China and abroad.

The case traces back to a sweeping crackdown launched in November 2023, when Chinese authorities intensified cooperation with officials in border regions shared with Myanmar. As part of that effort, Beijing pressured local administrations to take aggressive action against fraud operations, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

In recent years, scam compounds across Southeast Asia—particularly in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos—have evolved into large-scale criminal enterprises. These operations often run online fraud schemes, including romance scams, investment fraud, and illegal gambling, targeting victims worldwide.

Investigations have shown that such networks frequently rely on a combination of human trafficking victims and willing participants, many of whom are coerced or misled into carrying out scams under harsh conditions.

China has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of these operations, citing the growing number of Chinese citizens victimised by cross-border fraud. Beijing has repeatedly called on neighbouring countries to dismantle scam hubs and extradite suspects.

The United States and several other governments have also increased diplomatic and law enforcement pressure on Southeast Asian nations, urging coordinated regional action to curb organised crime networks involved in fraud, Money Laundering, and illegal online gambling.

The executions highlight China’s broader strategy of using severe criminal penalties as a deterrent against organised crime, particularly in cases involving large financial losses, cross-border activity, and the deaths of Chinese nationals.

While Human Rights groups continue to criticise China’s use of the death penalty, Beijing maintains that such measures are necessary to protect public safety and national economic security in the face of increasingly sophisticated transnational crime.