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One Chinese court has handed down death sentences to several top individuals of a well-known Myanmar mafia to capital punishment as Chinese authorities continues its campaign on fraudulent networks in Southeast Asian region.

Overall, twenty-one clan members and associates were found guilty of scams, homicide, assault and other crimes, reported a state media announcement published on the judicial website.

The family is one of a small number of organized crime groups that gained influence in the 2000s and converted the poor isolated region of the town into a lucrative hub of gambling establishments and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they pivoted to scams in which many of smuggled individuals, a large number of them from China, are caught, abused and obligated to scam others in criminal enterprises worth billions of dollars.

Information of the Sentencing

Syndicate boss Bai Suocheng and his heir Bai Yingcang were included in the five men condemned to death by the court in Shenzhen. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the additional sentenced.

Two figures of the Bai family mafia were given suspended death sentences. Five were given to life imprisonment, while more figures were handed jail sentences ranging from three to 20 years.

The Bais, who controlled their own private army, set up forty-one facilities to house their digital scam schemes and gambling houses, government said.

Magnitude of Unlawful Activities

Such criminal operations entailed more than 29bn yuan ($4.1 billion; £3.1 billion). These activities also caused the fatalities of several Chinese individuals, the self-inflicted death of an individual and several harm, state media reported.

The harsh punishments handed down by the judicial body are part of the Chinese initiative to remove the vast fraud rings in Southeast Asia - and deliver a stern signal to additional criminal groups.

History of the Clans

Such groups became dominant in the 2000s with the support of Min Aung Hlaing - who now leads the country's junta. He had wanted to support partners in the town after ousting its previous warlord.

Among the families, the Bais were "the most powerful", Bai Yingcang previously informed official sources.

"At that time, the clan was the most powerful in each of the political and armed circles," he stated in a film about the Bai family, aired on Chinese state media in July.

Within that report, a employee at a illegal operations described the harm he had experienced at the location: besides being beaten, he had his nails yanked out with tools and two of his fingers amputated with a kitchen knife.

More Accusations

Bai Yingcang is included in those who were sentenced to death in the latest ruling. The individual has also been separately sentenced of planning to trade and make 11 tonnes of narcotics, reports reported.

End of the Families

The families' downfall occurred in 2023 as political winds altered.

For years Chinese authorities has encouraged the regime to limit fraudulent schemes in the area.

Recently, the law enforcement issued detention orders for the most prominent figures of such groups.

Bai Suocheng, the Bai family's leader, was among the figures who were extradited to Beijing from Myanmar in the beginning of the year.

For what reason is the state putting such extensive work to target the clans?" a official said in the July documentary.

The purpose is to caution groups, regardless of your identity, your location, if you commit these terrible crimes affecting the Chinese people, you will face consequences."