China court sentences 39 members of Myanmar-based crime syndicate

Thirty-nine members of a family-run syndicate based in northern Myanmar have been convicted on multiple charges, including crimes that killed 14 Chinese nationals and injured six others, a Chinese court announced on Monday.

The Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court in East China's Zhejiang province found the defendants guilty of 14 offenses, such as fraud, intentional killing, and intentional injury. Sentences were handed down based on each individual's criminal acts, circumstances, and the degree of harm caused to society, the court said.

Eleven people, including ringleaders Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung, were sentenced to death. Five others received death sentences with a two-year reprieve, and 11 were given life imprisonment.

The remaining defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 24 years. Several were also fined, had their properties confiscated, or were ordered deported, according to the court.

The court said the criminal group had used its influence in Myanmar's Kokang region to build an armed faction and commit a range of offenses since 2015. It established scam compounds in the area and collaborated with other gangs that provided funding and armed support. Their activities included telecom fraud, casino operations, drug trafficking, and organized prostitution.

The syndicate's crimes led to the deaths of 14 Chinese nationals and injuries to six others, with total proceeds from gambling and fraud exceeding 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), the court said.

More than 160 people, including family members of the defendants as well as national lawmakers and political advisers, attended the sentencing.

The case had drawn wide public attention since 2023. In November that year, the Wenzhou public security department issued a wanted notice for the group's suspected leaders. Following law enforcement cooperation between China and Myanmar, three key members were captured and handed over to Chinese police for investigation.

In 2024, prosecutors charged the 39 members with multiple crimes, including conducting telecom fraud targeting residents in China.

In recent years, China has intensified its campaign against telecom fraud and sent working groups to countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia for joint law enforcement efforts.

In July, the Ministry of Public Security said Chinese police had solved 1.74 million telecom fraud cases during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–25) period. The joint operations dismantled more than 2,000 overseas fraud centers and led to the capture of over 80,000 suspects.

In a separate case, the trial of 21 members of another Myanmar-based family syndicate accused of fraud, intentional killing, and intentional injury concluded in September in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The court said the verdict will be announced at a later date.