China has carried out the execution of 11 individuals linked to cyber scam centres operating in Myanmar, including figures authorities described as key members of the criminal network, according to reports from state media.
The executed individuals were identified as members of the Ming family crime syndicate and were convicted of several serious offences, including intentional homicide, large-scale fraud and running illegal gambling operations. State broadcaster China Central Television reported that the group played a central role in cross-border online and telecommunications scam activities.
Cyber scam networks worth billions of dollars have grown rapidly across Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has noted that while these operations generate enormous profits, many people working in the centres are victims of human trafficking.
China’s Foreign Ministry said it is collaborating closely with Myanmar and other neighbouring countries to combat cross-border telecom fraud. Speaking at a routine press briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said joint actions against online gambling and telecom scams had produced “significant results” in protecting lives and property.
Investigators disclosed that the Ming family syndicate was responsible for fraud valued at over 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion). Authorities added that the group’s activities resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to several others.
The executions were approved by China’s Supreme People’s Court, and officials confirmed that the convicted individuals were granted final visits with their families before the sentences were carried out.
Public attention on scam centres intensified following the high-profile abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing in a Thai town near the Myanmar border in early 2025. That incident prompted coordinated crackdowns by China and neighbouring countries, leading to the return of hundreds of Chinese nationals who had been involved in scam operations.