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A Chinese court has condemned a group of prominent members of a well-known Myanmar organized crime group to capital punishment as Beijing continues its campaign on fraudulent activities in South East Asia.

Altogether, twenty-one Bai family figures and partners were found guilty of fraud, murder, assault and various offenses, reported a state media announcement published on the judicial portal.

This clan is among a small number of organized crime groups that gained influence in the last two decades and transformed the impoverished remote area of Laukkaing into a profitable hub of gambling establishments and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they shifted to fraudulent schemes in which numerous of illegally moved people, a large number of them Chinese, are caught, abused and obligated to scam targets in unlawful enterprises estimated at billions of dollars.

Details of the Judgment

Syndicate head the patriarch and his heir the younger Bai were included in the several individuals condemned to capital punishment by the court in Shenzhen. Another individual, A third figure and A fourth person were the remaining convicted.

A couple of individuals of the clan syndicate were received conditional death penalties. Five were sentenced to life imprisonment, while nine others were handed prison terms between several years to two decades.

The Bais, who controlled their own armed group, established 41 compounds to host their online fraud activities and casinos, government reported.

Magnitude of Unlawful Schemes

Such illegal operations entailed exceeding twenty-nine billion Chinese yuan ($4.1 billion; £3.1bn). These activities also led to the fatalities of several from China nationals, the self-inflicted death of an individual and numerous harm, state media announced.

The strict punishments issued by the court are a component of China's campaign to eliminate the large fraud operations in Southeast Asia - and send a firm message to further criminal syndicates.

History of the Groups

Such families gained influence in the early 2000s with the help of a military leader - who currently heads the country's junta. The leader had aimed to support partners in Laukkaing after ousting its previous leader.

Among the families, the Bais were "the most powerful", the son earlier informed official sources.

"At that time, we was the most powerful in each of the government and military circles," he said in a film about the clan, shown on official channels in July.

During the report, a employee at their fraud facilities described the abuse he had suffered at the location: besides being hit, he had his fingernails removed with tools and two of his fingers amputated with a blade.

More Accusations

The son is among those who were condemned to death recently. He has also been separately found guilty of organizing to smuggle and produce a large quantity of illegal drugs, state media announced.

Decline of the Groups

Their fall occurred in recent times as circumstances altered.

Over a long period Chinese authorities has pressed the Myanmar junta to limit scam activities in the area.

Recently, the authorities issued legal actions for the most prominent individuals of these groups.

The patriarch, the Bai family's head, was among the individuals who were handed to Beijing from Myanmar in the beginning of the year.

For what reason is the Chinese government making so much effort to target the clans?" a official stated in the July report.

This serves as a warning other people, regardless of your identity, your location, if you commit such terrible acts against the Chinese people, you will face consequences."