Myanmar syndicate convicted in China

Thirty-nine members of a family-run syndicate based in northern Myanmar have been convicted of multiple crimes, including killing 14 Chinese nationals and injuring six others, a Chinese court announced on Monday.

The Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court in East China's Zhejiang province found the defendants guilty of 14 offenses, which range from fraud and intentional injury to intentional homicide. Sentences were handed down based on each convicted person's criminal acts, circumstances and the degree of harm caused to society, the court said.

Eleven people, including ringleaders Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung, were sentenced to death. Five others received death sentences with a two-year reprieve, and 11 were given life imprisonment.

In China, a suspended death sentence is typically commuted to life imprisonment if the convicted person commits no new offenses during the two-year probation period. The sentence can be further reduced for good behavior.

The remaining defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 24 years. Several were also fined or had their properties confiscated, while others were scheduled for deportation, according to the court.

The court said the criminal group had used its influence in Myanmar's Kokang region to build an armed faction and commit a range of offenses since 2015. It established scam compounds in the area and collaborated with other gangs that provided funding and armed support. Their activities included telecom fraud, casino operations, drug trafficking and organized prostitution.

The syndicate's crimes resulted in 14 deaths of Chinese nationals and injuries to six others, with total proceeds from gambling and fraud exceeding 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), the court said.

More than 160 people, including family members of the defendants as well as national lawmakers and political advisers, attended the sentencing.

The case has drawn wide public attention since 2023. In November that year, the Wenzhou public security department issued a wanted notice for the group's suspected leaders. Following law enforcement cooperation between China and Myanmar, three key members were captured and handed over to Chinese police for investigation.

In 2024, prosecutors charged the 39 members with multiple crimes, including conducting telecom fraud targeting residents in China.

In recent years, China has intensified its campaign against telecom fraud and sent working groups to countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia for joint law enforcement efforts.

In July, the Ministry of Public Security said Chinese police had solved 1.74 million telecom fraud cases during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). The joint operations dismantled more than 2,000 overseas fraud centers and led to the capture of over 80,000 suspects.