Five members of northern Myanmar telecom fraud syndicate sentenced to death

Twenty-one members of a family-run syndicate based in northern Myanmar were sentenced on Tuesday by a Chinese court in Guangdong province for multiple offences, including the deaths of six Chinese nationals.

The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court found the defendants guilty of 12 offenses, including fraud, intentional killing and intentional injury, with individual sentences handed down in line with the degree of criminal involvement, specific circumstances and the measure of harm caused to society.

Five people, including ringleaders Bay Saw Chain and Bay Yin Chin, were sentenced to death. Two others received the death penalty with a two-year reprieve, while five were given life imprisonment.

The remaining defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to 20 years. Fines, the confiscation of assets and deportation orders were also issued by the court.

The court said that the criminal group had used its influence in Myanmar's Kokang region and relied on armed force to establish 41 scam compounds. Having attracted others to provide funds and armed support, they then worked with these financiers to carry out criminal activities, including telecom fraud, intentional homicide, kidnapping, extortion, casino operation, organizing illegal border crossings and forcing people into prostitution.

Their criminal activities led to the deaths of six Chinese nationals, the suicide of another, and injuries to several others, with the amounts involved in gambling and fraud exceeding 29 billion yuan ($4.06 billion), the court heard.

In addition, Bay Yin Chin colluded with others to smuggle and manufacture approximately 11 tons of methamphetamine.

Chinese legislators, political advisers and families of the defendants were among those who attended Tuesday's sentencing.