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One Chinese judicial body has condemned a group of leading members of an infamous Myanmar organized crime group to capital punishment as Beijing maintains its efforts on fraudulent activities in Southeast Asian region.

In all, 21 Bai family figures and partners were found guilty of fraud, homicide, injury and other offenses, said a official announcement released on the court website.

This clan is among a few of syndicates that became dominant in the early 2000s and changed the impoverished backwater town of Laukkaing into a profitable hub of casinos and entertainment zones.

In recent years they pivoted to scams in which thousands of illegally moved people, a large number of them Chinese, are ensnared, abused and compelled to defraud others in illegal operations estimated at billions.

Information of the Verdict

Mafia leader Bai Suocheng and his offspring Bai Yingcang were among the group of figures given to death by the judicial body. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the other three punished.

Two figures of the clan mafia were handed suspended death sentences. Five were sentenced to permanent incarceration, while more figures were given prison terms varying from three to 20 years.

The clan, who led their own armed group, set up forty-one facilities to house their online fraud operations and betting establishments, government reported.

Scale of Unlawful Schemes

These unlawful enterprises entailed exceeding 29bn local currency ($4.1bn; over three billion pounds). They also resulted in the demise of several from China nationals, the self-inflicted death of an individual and multiple assaults, reports reported.

The strict sentences handed down by the court are part of the Chinese initiative to eradicate the large scam operations in South East Asia - and issue a strong message to additional criminal syndicates.

History of the Clans

Such families became dominant in the 2000s with the help of Min Aung Hlaing - who currently heads Myanmar's regime. He had aimed to prop up associates in Laukkaing after ousting its former warlord.

Among the clans, the Bais were "the most powerful", Bai Yingcang previously told state media.

"At that time, we was the most powerful in each of the government and armed spheres," he remarked in a film about the clan, shown on official channels in the summer.

During the documentary, a employee at one of their scam centres recalled the mistreatment he had suffered there: besides being beaten, he had his fingernails removed with instruments and a couple of his digits cut off with a blade.

Additional Accusations

Bai Yingcang is included in those who were given to death recently. He has also been independently found guilty of conspiring to trade and make 11 tonnes of illegal drugs, reports stated.

Decline of the Families

The families' downfall happened in 2023 as situations shifted.

Over a long period Beijing has encouraged the Myanmar junta to limit scam activities in Laukkaing.

Last year, the law enforcement released detention orders for the most prominent members of these clans.

Bai Suocheng, the Bai family's leader, was among the warlords who were handed to Beijing from the country in the beginning of the year.

For what reason is the Chinese government putting such extensive work to go after the clans?" a official commented in the July documentary.

The purpose is to caution individuals, regardless of who you are, your base, if you commit such heinous acts against the Chinese people, you will pay the price."