• China executed 11 members of the Ming family linked to scam operations in Myanmar.
• The group was sentenced for crimes including homicide, fraud, and illegal detention.
• The scams reportedly led to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens.
• The executions are part of China's intensified crackdown on transnational crime.
• Beijing's actions reflect cooperation with other nations to dismantle these networks.

On January 29, 2026, China executed 11 individuals, all members of the Ming family, who were implicated in extensive scam operations based in Myanmar. A court in Wenzhou had sentenced them to death in September for serious offenses including homicide, fraud, and illegal detention, according to reports from BBC, India Times, and Al Jazeera.

The Ming family, a criminal group operating in Laukkaing, Myanmar, managed notorious scam centers that attracted substantial income, generating more than 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) from their activities between 2015 and 2023. The court noted that their actions resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others, reflecting the deadly nature of these scams, as detailed by India Times and Channel News Asia.

Fraud operations, often associated with scams involving false romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investments, have proliferated in Myanmar's lawless areas, supported by Chinese syndicates. The evidence presented in court was deemed "conclusive and sufficient" for the Supreme People's Court in Beijing, which approved the death sentences, as reported by Channel News Asia and Le Monde.

This significant legal action reflects China's broader crackdown on transnational crime and illustrates its cooperation with Southeast Asian countries to combat these illicit operations. In recent years, thousands of Chinese nationals have been repatriated from these scams, and experts have estimated that approximately 120,000 individuals may be employed in similar scam centers across Myanmar as noted by reports from Al Jazeera and Channel News Asia.