Beijing: China executed 16 members of two major criminal gangs in Myanmar. China's Supreme People's Court reported on Thursday that the trials of two large-scale criminal groups involved in telecommunications and online fraud operating in northern Myanmar have concluded. The report also revealed that by the end of 2025, courts across the country have ruled on more than 27,000 primary cases related to telecommunications fraud in northern Myanmar, with over 41,000 suspects who were extradited back to China having been sentenced.
According to Thai News Agency, among the widely publicized cases of the "Four Great Families" criminal gangs, which garnered significant attention both in China and abroad, the Ming and Bai family cases have been fully resolved. A total of 39 defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment or harsher penalties, including 16 death sentences. Both armed criminal gangs were completely eradicated, marking a major crackdown with significant repercussions for criminal groups in China and overseas.
Chinese courts have imposed strict, effective, and comprehensive penalties for telecommunications and online fraud to protect people's lives and property. Between 2021 and 2025, courts nationwide completed more than 159,000 preliminary cases related to telecommunications and online fraud, sentencing more than 338,000 defendants.
Although the number of cases concluded and the number of defendants sentenced increased significantly year-on-year, at 48.4 percent and 38.6 percent respectively in 2023, and at 29.4 percent and 26.7 percent respectively in 2024, the growth rate slowed considerably in 2025, increasing by only 1.2 percent and 4.5 percent respectively. This positive trend reflects the effectiveness of the justice system's efforts in combating this type of crime.