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One Chinese judicial body has handed down death sentences to several prominent individuals of an infamous Burmese mafia to capital punishment as Beijing continues its campaign on scam networks in Southeast Asian region.

In all, 21 Bai family members and associates were convicted of scams, homicide, injury and additional offenses, stated a state media report posted on the court portal.

The group is one of a few of organized crime groups that gained influence in the 2000s and converted the poor backwater town of Laukkaing into a wealthy hub of casinos and nightlife areas.

Recently they shifted to fraudulent schemes in which many of trafficked people, a large number of them Chinese, are ensnared, abused and forced to defraud victims in illegal operations estimated at huge sums.

Information of the Verdict

Mafia head Bai Suocheng and his heir the younger Bai were among the five men condemned to execution by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. Yang Liqiang, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the remaining sentenced.

A couple of individuals of the Bai family syndicate were received conditional death penalties. Five were sentenced to permanent incarceration, while more figures were handed prison sentences ranging from several years to two decades.

The Bais, who controlled their own militia, created 41 facilities to host their digital scam activities and casinos, authorities reported.

Scale of Criminal Activities

These illegal activities included exceeding 29 billion local currency (over four billion dollars; over three billion pounds). These activities also resulted in the fatalities of several Chinese individuals, the self-inflicted death of one and multiple injuries, reports reported.

The strict punishments issued by the court are within China's effort to eradicate the extensive scam operations in South East Asia - and deliver a strong signal to other criminal syndicates.

History of the Clans

Such clans gained influence in the recent decades with the help of Min Aung Hlaing - who now leads the country's regime. He had wanted to support associates in Laukkaing after ousting its previous ruler.

Among the clans, the this family were "the top", the son before stated to state media.

"At that time, we was the leading in both the government and military spheres," he remarked in a report about the clan, broadcast on official channels in the summer.

During the documentary, a individual at a fraud facilities narrated the abuse he had endured there: in addition to being assaulted, he had his nails extracted with tools and a couple of his digits cut off with a tool.

Further Charges

The son is among those who were given to execution this week. The individual has also been independently found guilty of conspiring to smuggle and produce 11 tonnes of illegal drugs, reports reported.

Downfall of the Clans

Their downfall came in recent times as circumstances changed.

Previously Chinese authorities has encouraged the regime to limit fraudulent schemes in Laukkaing.

Recently, the Chinese police released arrest warrants for the most prominent members of these groups.

The patriarch, the clan's leader, was among the figures who were handed to Beijing from the country in early 2024.

For what reason is the state putting such extensive work to go after the groups?" a expert stated in the July report.

The purpose is to caution individuals, no matter your position, your base, if you commit these serious acts targeting the citizens, you will pay the price."