A Chinese court has sentenced 11 members of the notorious Ming family to death, along with lengthy prison terms for dozens more, after they were found guilty of running extensive scam centres and criminal enterprises in Myanmar.
The Ming family was part of one of four powerful clans that controlled Laukkai, a border town between Myanmar and China, which became a hub for gambling, drug trafficking, and telecommunications fraud. According to Chinese state media, their criminal activities generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) since 2015.
In 2023, Myanmar authorities cracked down on these clans, arresting many family members and handing them over to Chinese law enforcement. On Monday, 39 members were sentenced in Wenzhou, eastern China. Besides the 11 death sentences, five received death sentences with two-year suspensions, 11 were jailed for life, and others given prison terms ranging from five to 24 years.
The court found the Ming family responsible for the deaths of several scam workers, including shooting victims to prevent escapes. Laukkai’s casinos initially exploited the high demand for gambling among Chinese citizens—illegal in China and neighboring countries—but evolved into fronts for money laundering and scams involving thousands of forced laborers.
The Ming family operated a notorious compound called Crouching Tiger Villa, where workers were reportedly beaten and tortured. Two years ago, insurgent groups ousted the Myanmar military from large parts of Shan State, including Laukkai, with suspected approval from China.
Following the crackdown, Ming family patriarch Ming Xuechang reportedly committed suicide, and other family members made confessions. Thousands of scam centre workers were also handed over to Chinese authorities.
China’s harsh sentencing underscores its resolve to end the cross-border scam industry. Beijing’s pressure recently led to Thailand shutting down scam centres near its border with Myanmar. However, such operations have shifted to countries like Cambodia but remain active in Myanmar.
