China sentences 11 members of mafia family to death

-Special Report-

CHINA CAPITAL PUNISHMENT - 11 Members of Mafia Family Sentenced to Death

In a landmark ruling that underscores China's intensifying crackdown on transnational crime, the Wenzhou Intermediate People’s Court has sentenced 11 members of the notorious Ming family to death for their roles in a sprawling criminal syndicate operating out of Myanmar.

The verdict, delivered on September 29, 2025, marks one of the most severe judicial responses to organized crime in recent Chinese history.

The Ming family, long entrenched in the border town of Laukkai in Myanmar’s Kokang region, was found guilty of orchestrating a vast network of illicit operations including telecommunications fraud, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and prostitution. According to court findings, these activities generated over 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion), transforming Laukkai into a hub of criminal enterprise that exploited Chinese demand for gambling, illegal in China, and served as a front for money laundering and scam centers.

The court identified Ming Guoping, Ming Zhenzhen, and Zhou Weichang among the 11 sentenced to death, with five additional defendants receiving death sentences suspended for two years—a penalty often commuted to life imprisonment. Another 11 were sentenced to life in prison, while the remaining members of the 39-person indictment received jail terms ranging from five to 24 years.

The syndicate’s operations were not only financially devastating but also deadly. The court revealed that at least 10 workers were killed and two others injured while attempting to escape the scam centers. These centers, often staffed by trafficked individuals coerced into running sophisticated online fraud schemes, have proliferated across Southeast Asia. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates the global scam industry to be worth $40 billion annually.

China’s pursuit of justice in this case began in earnest in 2023, when Myanmar authorities arrested members of the Ming family and extradited them to China. The crackdown is part of a broader regional effort involving China, Myanmar, and Thailand to dismantle scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border. Earlier this year, these joint operations led to the release of over 7,000 workers, most of whom were Chinese nationals.

The Ming family’s downfall signals a turning point in China’s battle against cross-border criminal syndicates. Once seen as untouchable, the family’s empire, built on deception, exploitation, and violence, has now been dismantled by the full force of Chinese law.

The death sentences handed down reflect not only the gravity of their crimes but also Beijing’s resolve to protect its citizens from the scourge of organized fraud.