China Sentences Five Myanmar Mafia Leaders to Death in Major Southeast Asia Scam Crackdown

A Chinese court has sentenced five senior members of Myanmar’s notorious Bai family mafia to death, marking a major escalation in Beijing’s regional campaign against cross-border scam syndicates. The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court convicted 21 individuals linked to the Bai clan for fraud, homicide, and other crimes, according to state media.

Mafia boss Bai Suocheng and his son Bai Yingcang were among those condemned, alongside Yang Liqiang, Hu Xiaojiang, and Chen Guangyi. Two others received suspended death sentences, while five were jailed for life. Authorities said the group operated 41 compounds in Laukkaing, a Myanmar border town notorious for its casinos and cybercrime hubs.

Myanmar Mafia Leaders

The syndicate’s operations, worth more than 29 billion yuan (US$4.1 billion), involved the trafficking and abuse of thousands of workers and caused multiple deaths. The convictions follow similar death sentences in September against 11 members of the rival Ming family.

Beijing’s crackdown, launched after years of urging Myanmar’s junta to rein in scam centres, reflects its growing determination to dismantle criminal networks targeting Chinese citizens. Chinese officials said the punishments are meant as a warning to other syndicates operating across Southeast Asia.

Business News