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A China's judicial body has condemned five prominent figures of a well-known Myanmar mafia to death as Chinese authorities continues its crackdown on fraudulent operations in Southeast Asian region.

In all, 21 Bai family figures and partners were sentenced of fraud, homicide, injury and other offenses, stated a state media document published on the court website.

This clan is among a handful of organized crime groups that gained influence in the early 2000s and changed the underdeveloped backwater town of Laukkaing into a wealthy hub of casinos and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they turned to illegal operations in which many of illegally moved people, several of them Chinese, are caught, harmed and compelled to cheat targets in illegal activities valued at billions.

Details of the Verdict

Mafia leader Bai Suocheng and his son Bai Yingcang were included in the five individuals sentenced to execution by the judicial body. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the additional punished.

A couple of figures of the Bai family mafia were received suspended death sentences. Five were sentenced to permanent incarceration, while nine others were handed prison sentences ranging from several years to two decades.

The Bais, who led their own militia, set up forty-one compounds to host their cyberscam schemes and casinos, government said.

Extent of Unlawful Activities

These unlawful operations included more than 29 billion yuan (over four billion dollars; £3.1bn). These activities also resulted in the deaths of several Chinese nationals, the self-inflicted death of an individual and several harm, official sources stated.

The strict punishments issued by the court are part of China's initiative to eradicate the vast fraud networks in the region - and send a stern message to further unlawful groups.

History of the Clans

These groups rose to power in the early 2000s with the assistance of a military leader - who now leads the country's junta. He had aimed to bolster associates in Laukkaing after ousting its former warlord.

Among the families, the Bais were "the top", the son before told official sources.

"At that time, the clan was the leading in each of the political and military circles," the individual stated in a film about the Bai family, shown on national media in the summer.

Within that report, a worker at a their scam centres described the mistreatment he had suffered at the location: besides being hit, he had his fingernails extracted with tools and two of his fingers cut off with a tool.

Further Accusations

The son is among those who were sentenced to death in the latest ruling. The individual has additionally been separately convicted of organizing to traffic and make 11 tonnes of illegal drugs, state media stated.

Decline of the Clans

The families' end happened in 2023 as situations changed.

Previously Chinese authorities has urged the Myanmar junta to rein in scam schemes in the area.

Recently, the law enforcement released detention orders for the key individuals of such groups.

Bai Suocheng, the Bai family's patriarch, was among the individuals who were transferred to Beijing from Myanmar in recent months.

"Why is the state making such extensive work to target the groups?" a official stated in the July report.

The purpose is to caution groups, regardless of your position, your location, if you carry out these terrible crimes against the Chinese people, you will be held accountable."