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A China's court has handed down death sentences to five top members of a well-known Myanmar organized crime group to capital punishment as Beijing persists in its efforts on fraudulent networks in South East Asia.

In all, twenty-one clan individuals and collaborators were convicted of fraud, homicide, assault and other crimes, stated a official document posted on the court website.

This clan is one of a few of mafias that became dominant in the last two decades and changed the underdeveloped backwater town of the town into a profitable base of casinos and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they turned to scams in which numerous of trafficked people, a large number of them from China, are trapped, harmed and forced to defraud victims in unlawful activities worth billions.

Specifics of the Verdict

Mafia boss the patriarch and his son Bai Yingcang were included in the several figures given to death by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. Another individual, A third figure and Chen Guangyi were the other three punished.

A couple of members of the clan syndicate were given suspended death sentences. Several were sentenced to permanent incarceration, while more figures were received prison sentences ranging from three to 20 years.

The Bais, who led their own armed group, set up forty-one compounds to house their online fraud operations and betting establishments, government said.

Scale of Unlawful Activities

Such criminal activities included more than 29 billion Chinese yuan (over four billion dollars; over three billion pounds). They also led to the fatalities of six Chinese citizens, the self-inflicted death of an individual and numerous harm, official sources reported.

The strict punishments handed down by the judicial body are part of the Chinese initiative to remove the large fraud operations in the region - and send a stern message to other unlawful groups.

History of the Clans

These clans rose to power in the recent decades with the help of Min Aung Hlaing - who now leads Myanmar's junta. The leader had wanted to support associates in the town after replacing its earlier ruler.

Within the clans, the Bais were "the most powerful", Bai Yingcang earlier told official sources.

Back then, our Bai family was the dominant in each of the government and military spheres," he stated in a film about the Bai family, broadcast on Chinese state media in the summer.

Within that film, a employee at their illegal operations narrated the mistreatment he had suffered at the location: in addition to being hit, he had his fingernails removed with tools and two of his digits amputated with a kitchen knife.

Further Accusations

The son is included in those who were condemned to death in the latest ruling. He has also been independently sentenced of planning to smuggle and produce 11 tonnes of narcotics, state media announced.

End of the Families

Their fall came in recent times as circumstances changed.

For years Beijing has pressed the local government to limit fraudulent schemes in the area.

Last year, the authorities announced legal actions for the leading individuals of such groups.

Bai Suocheng, the Bai family's head, was among the figures who were transferred to Beijing from the country in early 2024.

"Why is the state putting such extensive work to pursue the groups?" a official stated in the July film.

The purpose is to caution groups, no matter your identity, your location, as long as you engage in such heinous acts targeting the nationals, you will be held accountable."