China executed 11 people on Thursday linked to transnational telecom scam operations based in Southeast Asia, state media reported, as Beijing intensifies its crackdown on the fraudulent industry.
The executions were carried out by a court in the eastern city of Wenzhou, according to the state news agency Xinhua. The individuals were sentenced to death in September for crimes including “intentional homicide, intentional injury, unlawful detention, fraud, and casino establishment.”
The death sentences were approved by the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing, which found the evidence of crimes committed since 2015 “conclusive and sufficient.” Among those executed were “key members” of the notorious “Ming family criminal group,” whose activities contributed to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to “many others.”
Fraud compounds, often located in lawless border areas of Myanmar, lure internet users into fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investments. The criminal groups, initially targeting Chinese speakers, have expanded to victimize people globally. Workers in these compounds are sometimes willing participants, but are often trafficked foreign nationals forced into scamming.
In recent years, China has increased cooperation with regional governments to dismantle these operations, repatriating thousands to face trial. The September rulings also included death sentences with two-year reprieves for five others, and prison terms ranging from five years to life for 23 more suspects.
Wen asked about the executions, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated that “for a while, China has worked with Myanmar and other countries to combat cross-border telecom and internet fraud.” He added that China will continue to deepen international law enforcement cooperation against “the cancer of gambling and fraud.”
In November, Chinese authorities sentenced five more people to death for involvement in scam operations in Myanmar’s Kokang region. The United Nations has warned that the cyberscam industry is spreading globally, estimating that hundreds of thousands are forced to work in such centres worldwide.
