China executes 11 linked to Myanmar-based scam operations, state media reports

What happened

Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reports that 11 individuals connected to Myanmar-linked criminal gangs operating scam centres have been executed in the eastern city of Wenzhou, China. These individuals were described as “key members” of the scam networks and were sentenced to death in September 2025. The Supreme People’s Court in Beijing approved the death sentences, citing conclusive evidence of crimes including homicide, intentional injury, unlawful detention, fraud, and casino establishment dating back to 2015.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. The executed included members of the so-called “Ming family criminal group,” whose activities reportedly resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others. The executions follow years of intensified cooperation between China and southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, to dismantle the sprawling multibillion-dollar scam industry widely based in the lawless borderlands of Myanmar and other neighboring nations.

Scam centres in Myanmar, staffed largely by trafficked and coerced workers, many of whom are foreign nationals including Chinese, have become hubs for global romance scams, investment fraud, and other cybercrimes. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that these cyber scam operations generate upwards of $40 billion annually across the region. China’s crackdown also involved the repatriation of thousands of trafficked workers.

Known from the source

• China executed 11 people linked to Myanmar-based scam operations, as reported by Chinese state media.
• Those executed were sentenced to death by a Wenzhou court in September 2025, with the Supreme People’s Court approving the sentences.
• Crimes cited include intentional homicide, injury, unlawful detention, fraud, and casino establishment.
• Members of the ‘Ming family criminal group’ were among those executed, linked to 14 deaths of Chinese citizens.
• Scam operations flourish in Myanmar’s borderlands, staffed by trafficked workers.

What remains unclear

While China’s official reports focus on legal and enforcement outcomes, the broader context includes serious concerns about the exploitation and trafficking of people forced to work in these illicit centres. The arrests and extraditions, including of alleged leaders such as Chen Zhi in January 2026, underline ongoing regional efforts against these criminal networks, but there remains limited independent verification of all claims.

What remains unclear: Verification of execution date and official sentencing details beyond Chinese state media reports. Confirmation of the precise role and nationalities of those trafficked into scam centres in Myanmar. Independent casualty or impact figures linked to the ‘Ming family criminal group’ activities. Details on Myanmar’s involvement and cooperation level in cracking down on these scams.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: The Guardian Myanmar. Open the source.