Key facts
- China executed 11 members of the Ming family for running scam centers in Myanmar.
- The Ming family was found guilty of homicide, illegal detention, and fraud.
- The scam operations generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) between 2015 and 2023.
- The crimes resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens.
- The Ming family's operations were based in Laukkaing, Myanmar.
- China attempted to persuade powerful families in northern Myanmar to shut down scam operations three times before the 2023 arrests.
China has executed 11 members of the notorious Ming family criminal gang for their involvement in running large-scale scam centers in Myanmar. The executions, reported by state media, follow a significant crackdown initiated by Beijing in 2023. The Ming family was found guilty of multiple crimes, including homicide, illegal detention, fraud, and operating gambling dens, by a court in China's Zhejiang province.
According to Chinese state media, the Ming family's criminal enterprise generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) between 2015 and 2023. Their activities resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others. The family's patriarch, Ming Xuechang, who had also served as a member of a Myanmar state parliament, reportedly killed himself in 2023 while in custody.
The Ming family was one of several powerful clans that controlled the town of Laukkaing in northern Myanmar, transforming it into a hub for casinos and illicit activities. Their scam empire collapsed in 2023 when ethnic militias, tacitly backed by Beijing, captured Laukkaing during an escalation of conflict with Myanmar's army. These militias then detained and handed over members of the Ming family to Chinese authorities.
Chinese state television has broadcast a new documentary, jointly produced by the Ministry of Public Security and CCTV, detailing the obstacles Chinese authorities faced in pursuing these criminal networks. The documentary highlights that China had attempted three times to persuade powerful families in northern Myanmar to shut down scam operations before the mass arrests in 2023.