China Executes 11 Tied to Myanmar Scam Syndicates

China executed 11 people on Thursday who were sentenced in September by a Wenzhou court for crimes including intentional homicide, unlawful detention and fraud linked to Myanmar-based online scam operations, state media reported.

The executed included members of the Ming family criminal group, whose activities state media said contributed to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others as the syndicate ran multibillion-dollar scam compounds in Myanmar's borderlands.

A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said Beijing would intensify efforts to "eradicate the scourge of gambling and fraud," while monitors and relatives accuse Myanmar's military government of long turning a blind eye despite recent raids, according to analysts.

The September rulings were approved by the Supreme People's Court in Beijing and also imposed death sentences with two-year reprieves on five people and prison terms ranging from five years to life on another 23 suspects, state media reported.

The United States and United Kingdom have announced sanctions related to regional scam networks and Chinese authorities have continued repatriations and prosecutions, including the arrest and extradition of alleged kingpin Chen Zhi, officials confirmed.